12: Court resumed after mid-morning break and defense counsel Mr. Courtanay Griffiths continued the cross examination of Witness TF1-568 Mohamed kabba in open session.
Before the witness was brought into court to continue his cross-examination, the court heard both prosecution and defense on whether to call the name of the person(s) who the witness said hand influenced him to testify in the Taylor trial. The court ruled that there were no reasons why the witness should not call the name(s) of the said persons. The witness was brought into court and informed that he had to say the name(s) of the person(s) who unfluenced him to testify.
The witness informed thet court that he was first met by a former RUF radio operator, Eddie Murphy that one Mr. Saffa wanted to speak to him about the Taylor case. Eddie Murphy gave him Mr. Saffa’s number he contacted Mr. Saffa. The witness said that Mr. Saffa told him to board a public transport and travel to Freetown in order to make a statement. The witness said that his trip to Freetown was four days after Eddie Murphay had met him. When he got to Freetown, Mr. Saffa introduced him to Prosecution investigators Chris Maurice and Chuck Collot. The witness said he spent several days in Freetown, during which time he made statements. The witness said that this took place during the rainy season of 2006. Defense counsel Mr. Griffiths showed the witness a bundle of statements made by the him, and that date indicated on the statement was February 2007. The witness said that he might have mistated the year but that the February statement in front of him was what he had made when he contaced the investigators. Defense counsel referenced a portion of the statement indicating that the witness had “clarified” certain portions on moneys given to him as reimbursement. The witness responded that such clarification related to his reimbursement for transportation he had paid for himself. Defense further referenced another portion of the bundle indicating that the witness was reimbursed for loss of wages.
Crimes Committed By The Witness
Defense counsel asked the witness whether he killed anybody during the war. The witness responded that he did not kill anybody as he was just a mere radio operators taking orders. Asked about the burning of houses, the witness resaponded that he did burn houses in Tihun, but that he was ordered by Sankoh to do that. The witness said that when he went back to Kailahun, his home town, and saw houses being burnt, he had regrets for burning the house in Tihun.
Court adjourned for lunch break.