The Trial Chamber hearing the the case of the former Liberian president Charles Taylor spent the whole of today in private session as Mr. Taylor’s defense witness, convicted former interim leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Issa Hassan Sesay, was refuting the testimonies of prosecution witnesses whose testimonies were heard only in closed or private session. For the protection of the identities of those protected witnesses, any response to their testimonies must be heard in private.
Mr. Sesay’s testimony continues tomorrow.
Lot of talks flying around that the defense witnesses are lying and without credibility. I stand corrected, I have been thinking to myself if the defense witnesses are lying why it is then so far all of the defense witnesses that have taken the witness stand have all testified in open court without voice, facial distortions or any other type of concealment? Most of the times, witness who testify under concealment have something to hide. They have been prepped and paid by the prosecution/defense to lie.
Unlike the defense almost every other witness who took the witness stand for the prosecution were under some type of disguised. Why? The most logically answer is, the witness had something to hide. Perhaps, some of the witnesses were afraid for their personal safety, but many were also afraid that they would have been indentified by their many lies.
Consequently, the prosecution has a greater issue with witness credibility than the defense.
So second… right on Big B.
Big B, you seem very good at distortion of facts to satisfy your immediate whim. It is not true that only the Prosecution witnesses were given perdiem to testify. Defense witnesses received healthy perdiem too, and you know this. Also why do you keep whinning about Prosecution witnesses having something to hide because they testified under face and voice distortion at times? Did not some of the Defense witnesses testify in the same manner especially when their identities required such exceptions? It sounds silly for anyone to think someone is here, purposely, to get taylor without fair trial, otherwise we would not be having a trial, in the first place! Taylor is very lucky and so are most of you, this time, because next time it may not be as it is now Big B. The ground work is already laid and taylor and all who participated, as alleged, must face justice, even if this means decades from now. Remember the Isrealists still hunt down all that participated in the Nazi consetration camps murders of millions of Jews. All those involved in the mass murders of innocent natives of Sierra Leone and Liberia, that now go free, and yet voicing their arrogance of impunity, will answer to the people. Trust the voice of the people Big B!
Yes indeed,
as the evidence is proving Mr Taylor is not responsible for our war in Sierra Leone,when he is acquitted you can hunt him down with your CIA pals Mr Menjor and prosecute him in a LIBERIA COURT,as you said like the zionist track down the nazi’s.So will the Zionist be hunted and prosecuted for killing Arabs too.Hopefully in the right court with the correct indictment
But we should not be twisting logic in Africa,We are in the process of making sense of so many things, after so many years of thoughtless and aimless adherance to others wisdom.We seek justice for all Mr. Koumjian.
You are absolutely right, CEE. this is what we are going to persue. Those who are responsible must get justice. And you are right on the money; the CIA will assist us!
fallah,
Let me give you some examples of “distorting the facts.” “Distorting the fact” is when the prosecution clandestinely prepared a document and illegally signed Sesay and Yeaten names.
Go back and revisit my comment, there is no where in my comment I stated “only the prosecution witnesses were given perdiem.” But you distorted the fact by writing what I didn’t write. This is another example of “distorting the fact.”
From where I sit, it’s ridiculous, stupid and primitive for any blogger to make unfounded comment without fully understanding the nature of another blogger’s intent.
@Fallah
I see your point. however it is lacking! What about those who stood by and whistled dixe and profited when jewish persons were being killed? where are the dixie whistlers who stood by and the persons who gained during the war in SL? The deaths of millions of jewish and africans while others whistled dixie and gained $ turns my stomach. You can’t scape goat one or a few and expect real change. You seem like a religious person…pray and remember BUT for the grace of GOD…you know the rest.
Fallah are you African or an agitator?
sir,
the trail of taylor has taken a very long time what is chances that he would be given a fair trial?
Also assuming he is not found guilty will the court pay him for the time he has be in the detension
thanks and hope to hear from you
wusu,freetown
Big B,
Because prosecution witnesses know the consequences of testifying against Taylor. Anyone will be a fool to think that Taylor’s dire-hard stooges have changed.
Big B,
It is hypocrisy of the highest order for you to refuse to make your identity available on this forum especially when you are a dire-hard supporter of Taylor but you expect those who know first hand the dangerous involving in opposing Taylor to testify against Taylor openly.
Should we conclude that the most logical reason why you call yourself Big B is because you have something to hide and that you have been paid to lie?
The reason witnesses testify against Taylor with protective measures is simply that Taylor’s indoctrinated stooges are still around the volatile West African sub-region and nobody wants to be fool at putting himself or his family at risk. Defend Witnesses can testify openly because they know that the rest of society are decent.
You need to understand that protective measures are not a witness’s right. The judges have to be convinced that a witness needs protective measures before such measures are accorded.
morris,
Please go back and critically read my comment. That’s all I have to say right now. It’s always best to take your time and fully comprehend what the blogger is saying prior replaying. Sometimes, you come up with all kinds of inductive logic contrary to the true meaning of what the blogger is saying.
It is obvious that people who are engaged with this trial with hate and prejudice to believe that all the defense witnesses are liars. They need to help the prosecution with ideals during the cross of the defense witnesses intead of just making statements that have no legal logic. I am sure that the defense and prosecution offices are opened to all who may want to help with information.
one thing I want to say here is that this blog is not for whitchful thinking rather to discuss the issues as they unfold from the witnesses and the lawyers.
Thanks
@ Big B
I have not followed the trial from the start. I was shocked to hear that testimony was taken in private and in disguise. I am also surprised there is very little commentary regarding the secret testimony in this trial. Any witness that does not testify in open court lacks credibility. Of course there are exceptions for child witnesses.
cen,
I tell you no lie; this trial has more twist and turns to it then the man in the moon. This is a bogus trial. PERIOD!
Becuase Mr. Taylor did not bow to the greed pressure from British and America power hungry politicians so a way out to put him in court is what we see going on. The Asian do not go to destroy Afrcia but to look for sincere assistance or contribute services, there is always a feedback to good will. And there is always conflict during war games. The stupidity of some military personnel in Iraq does not mean Obama is part of the blame. Is the black continent still under scrutiny from a racist white race looking to force wealth out of the continents like the old days? I think Mr. Taylor out smart some smart white racists with Nazi style in Africa so they found a way to put him behind bars. God wil have mercy on him. Should this be the modus operadi or pure modality of a greedy politicians in the western world toward Africa, let God put a stop to it.
This is excerpt from the prosecution prosecutor, yea I am now referring to Perry Mason as the prosecutor against the prosecution. Perry Mason was drilling one of the prosecution top insider witness, Moses Blah who was former vice president to Charles Taylor and Blah later became president upon Mr. Taylor resignation. Perry Mason, that is Lead Defense Counsel Courtney Griffins , Q.C. probed like this in an one on one Q & A with Moses Blah: ( The most important in this exchange is Blah admission that Taylor was ordered by ECOWAS to get involved in the SL peace process.
http://www.sc-sl.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=k4U6wY1oNmY=&tabid=160
Q. Before we go up to that date, during the time that this
seven member government was in effect did you ever travel
anywhere with Taylor during that time?
A. Yes, I travelled at one time to Togo and when I went to
Togo there was a little bit of confusion again from the RUF
and we had to go to Togo and Foday Sankoh was there. The
President of Togo was there. The President of Togo was
there and intervened to bring peace to that country and
they wanted President Taylor to be there and he was there
also to take part in that committee.”
Q Taylor was asked to become a member of the Committee of Four in Sierra
Leone in 1998?
A. I remember that.
Q. What was the Committee of Four?
A. To bring peace to the neighbouring country. That is to my
knowledge.
Q. Who were the other three?
A. In the Mano River basin there was Liberia, Sierra Leone and
Guinea.
Q. It is right, is it not, that former President Taylor was
asked by his colleagues in ECOWAS to personally take charge of
the Sierra Leonean situation and try and bring peace to that
country?
A. That is correct. That is correct.