The Hague

October 14, 2008

Prosecutor Nicholas Koumjian continued his examination in chief of the witness TF1-215, Sieh Mansaray.

Amputations in Kondembaia

From Kondembaia, the home village of Mansaray, a total of nine persons, four men (including the witness) and five women were amputated. This happened after a rebel called Junta Two read out a note from the commander, saying that of all the men the right hand had to be cut of and of all the women the left hand had to be cut of. When Mansaray and the other civilians pleaded, Junta Two said there was no god today and that he was god and was going to decide what was going to happen that day. Junta Two also said that the hands should be sent to ex-President Kabbah and that those hands would never vote again. The four men were adult civilians, one being a retired soldier, all four had their right hand amputated. The five women were all civilians, one woman with her six year old daughter and one woman who was eight months pregnant, she died later. The hand of the girl of six years was put in the open mouth of a dead man, a police officer, and the rebels said that that would be his last food. These same rebels burnt down his house and the houses of other civilians.

Life after the amputation

After the amputation the witness and two others went into the bush to rest a little. Then the three split up, the witness left to look for his family and later with his family went to Kabala which was in disarray at the time. The next day he was taken to Connaught hospital where he stayed for 13 days and then was taken to the Waterloo hospital where he stayed until December 12, 1998 when he was discharged.
Every time Mansaray went back to Kondembaia it made him feel bad. The hands are buried under the cotton tree and he feels sad when he visits the graves of the people that died. It has now been two years since he last visited Kondembaia. Now the witness has stress, people are afraid of him and that makes him feel ashamed, even though he knows that he has done nothing to be ashamed for. It affected his entire family. He can no longer work, only beg, and is unable to provide for his family.

Cross-examination

Lead Defense Counsel cross-examined the witness and established the following.
The witness has not worked again since this happened to him, he now is a beggar. Since March 11, 2003 the witness has been speaking to investigators of the OTP, who wrote down what the witness said and who read it back to the witness. After the AFRC coup and before the ECOMOG intervention there were no problems with the rebels in the area where the witness was living. It was after the ECOMOG intervention and after the junta was pushed out of Freetown that the problems, including Operation Pay Yourself, began. Those who were fleeing were a mixed bunch, some were soldiers, some were rebels, and some were with their families. They were taking food and other valuable items, but there was no killing and amputating and no burning of houses. The witness did not know about Alpha Jets bombing the fleeing rebels. There came a time that the behaviour of the rebels was such that the witness fled to the bush with his family, where he stayed about four months. Then the witness received news about ECOMOG forces coming to Konebai from a hunter. There were more hunters there, but according to the witness they were not Kamajors, there were no Kamajors in the northern part of Sierra Leone, according to the witness. When Mansaray was living in Kabala, prior to his amputation, he had not heard of the names Superman and SAJ Musa. He heard about these names later in Connaught hospital in Freetown. At the time of his amputation he did not know the name of the commander who had written the command to amputate on the note. All the rebels were speaking Krio, the witness did not hear anyone speak Liberian English.

The Prosecution has no questions for a re-examination in chief and the witness is dismissed.

59th Prosecution witness TF1-218

The Prosecution applied for all protective measures previously enjoyed by this witness to be rescinded, except b and c for as far as the address of the witness is concerned. The rescission only applies for the testimony given in these proceedings. The 60th Prosecution witness TF1-218 is a category A witness, a rape victim, and will testify under Rule 92bis. The witness is sworn in on the Bible and will testify in Limba. Prosecutor Alain Werner will introduce the witness.

Introduction

The name of the witness is Ruko Turay, about 50 years old, born in Kasokra, Tonkolili District. She has not attended school, and speaks Limba and a little Krio. On February 1, 2005 the witness testified in the RUF trial and the transcript is put before the witness. Turay testified that recently this testimony was read to her in a language she understands and adopted this as her prior testimony. The transcript is marked for identification as MFI-1.

Cross-examination

Defense Counsel Terry Munyard cross-examined the witness and established the following.
When Kabbah was overthrown by the AFRC Junta in May 1997 the witness was living in Bumpe bush. When Kabbah was restored to power in February 1998 the witness was still living in the Bumpe bush. This time the rebels fled to Kono area where Turay was living. The witness was captured by rebels, who identified themselves as rebels but not by another name. They were wearing combat uniform, just like the soldiers of the SLA. The witness did not know to which group the rebels belonged. The witness knows who Kamajors are, she has seen them, but have not done anything bad to her or to others as far as she knows. During a two day period in the bush the witness saw four rebels, three came into her house, one stayed outside. They were in combat uniform like SLA uniforms. After they raped her she fled into the bush, they shot at her, but she managed to get away safe. Later the witness saw other rebels who were dressed in similar fashion as the rebels who raped her.

Re-examination in chief

Prosecutor Alain Werner conducted a short re-examination in chief. At the time Bumpe was attacked it was the dry season, but during the time of the incident it was the rainy season. The witness has a deep scar on the inside of her left arm, which is shown to the Court.
MFI-1 is tendered as evidence and becomes exhibit P198.
This concluded the evidence of this witness and Ruko Turay is dismissed.

Court is adjourned at 4.30 p.m. until tomorrow 9.30 a.m.