Defense lawyers today concluded the direct examination of the convicted former interim leader of the Sierra Leonean rebel group, which Charles Taylor is accused of providing support for. As he made his last statement in direct examination today, the witness told the court that he has nothing to gain in testifying for Mr. Taylor.
Issa Hassan Sesay is the former interim leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group, the group responsible for the commission of heinous crimes against the civilian population of Sierra Leone during the country’s 11 year conflict. Prosecutors say that Mr. Taylor is responsible for the crimes committed by the RUF in Sierra Leone, an allegation that Mr. Taylor has denied. Mr. Sesay has already been convicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone after a trial in Freetown and is currently serving a 52 year jail sentence in Rwanda. Mr. Sesay has taken time off his jail sentence in Rwanda to testify for Mr. Taylor in The Hague. His direct examination, which has lasted for about three weeks, concluded today.
As he concluded the direct examination of Mr. Sesay, lead defense lawyer for Mr. Taylor, Courtenay Griffiths, asked the witness whether he has anything to gain by coming to The Hague to testify for Mr. Taylor.
“I don’t have anything to gain,” Mr. Sesay told the court.
“My decision to come here is because I was sitting in my detention and listening to the radio and hearing people say lies about me just because I disarmed the RUF, so I decided to come here and testify. I have nothing to gain,” he added.
Before the conclusion of his direct examination, Mr. Sesay refuted allegations that when rebel forces entered Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown in January 1999, RUF commander Sam Bockarie was taking instructions from Mr. Taylor’s Director of Special Security Services, Benjamin Yeaten, and was sending those instructions to the rebel forces in Freetown.
When asked whether Mr. Yeaten had given any orders to Mr. Bockarie during this period, Mr. Sesay said, “I have never heard about that, about Benjamin Yeaten’s involvement in the January invasion of [19]99. It is only in this court that I have heard this. Even in my trial, I did not hear this,” Mr. Sesay told the court.
Immediately after the conclusion of his direct examination, prosecutors commenced the cross-examination of Mr. Sesay. Prosecution counsel conducting Mr. Sesay’s cross-examination, Nicholas Koumjian, immediately went to the testimony that Mr. Sesay gave as a witness in his own defense during his trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Freetown. Mr. Koumjian focused on the arms and ammunition that were bought and used by the RUF to attack the diamond rich town of Kono in December 1998.
The issue of who provided arms for the December 1998 attack on Kono has been widely discussed in this trial. According to prosecution witnesses, with Mr. Taylor’s assistance, RUF rebels travelled to Burkina Faso, where they obtained the arms and ammunition needed for the attack. The aircraft that transported the arms and ammunition for the mission landed at Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Liberia before they were transported to Sierra Leone. A particular RUF member, who claimed to have been involved in transporting these materials from Burkina Faso, testified for the prosecution in 2008 and told the court that they met with Mr. Taylor at his Executive Mansion in Liberia. During this meeting, they discussed the operation to obtain the arms in Burkian Faso.
Mr. Sesay in his testimony this month has told the court that these pieces of evidence are false. According to Mr. Sesay, the arms and ammunition used for the attack on Kono were purchased from United Liberation Movement for Democracy in Liberia (ULIMO) rebels in Lofa County, Liberia.
However, under cross-examination today, Mr. Koumjian pointed out that Mr. Sesay’s account in his testimony for Mr. Taylor differs from what he said when he testified on behalf of himself before the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Freetown in 2007. During his 2007 trial, Mr. Sesay gave testimony that supported the evidence of prosecution witnesses. In 2007, he testified that the ammunition used for the attack on Kono was obtained from Burkina Faso by Mr. Bockarie. When confronted with the contradiction, Mr. Sesay said that at the time he testified on behalf himself in 2007, he could not recall all these issues. He has only now been able to recall what happened, he said. Mr. Koumjian put to him that he was lying because he wanted to protect Mr. Taylor.
“Because you yourself testified in 2007…that the ammunition came from Burkina Faso and you are lying to this Trial Chamber about it, trying to protect Charles Taylor for his responsibility for the terrible things that happened in 1998 and 1999 in Sierra Leone, isn’t that true…you testified under oath in 2007 the ammunition came from Burkina Faso. That was the truth. Were you telling the truth in 2007 or were you lying?” Mr. Koumjian asked Mr. Sesay.
“I said when after I had testified, when I was reading the transcript, I realized that the account I had given was not the right account,” Mr. Sesay responded.
Earlier this morning, there was an event in court that threatened the progress of the trial. In an unusual outburst, Mr. Griffiths hit his table several times, shouted at Mr. Koumjian to take his seat, and referred to him (Koumjian) as a boy. When the judges asked Mr. Griffiths to apologize for his actions, he apologized to the bench but said he was not going to apologize to Mr. Koumjian. After conferring with each other, the judges ordered that Mr. Griffiths would not be given anymore audience in the court if he did not apologize for his actions. Mr. Griffiths accepted the sanction of the judges and left the courtroom. When court resumed after a short break, Mr. Griffiths apologized to Mr. Koumjian, thus giving way for a continuation of the proceedings.
Mr. Sesay’s cross-examination continues on Friday.
Dear All,
Like the lead counsel for the Defense- Courtney Griffiths, I am justifiably furious about this trial, the ‘dramatis personae’, and the onlookers. Angry for a show of shame, angry for the human betrayal and hypocrisy which it represents and angry for the sheer imbecibility of the prosecution and some of their cohorts on this forum. Indeed, the outburst by lead counsel for the defense has been long over-due. His knows the intrigues, the deceit and the sheer wickedness of the West that this trial epitomises.
For you Alpha Sesay, an African and Sierra Leonean and that, you owe youself and your kinsmen a duty to estimate the cost of this trial, and publish on this forum an article justifying such a wanton disregard for the sufferings of the victims the civil war by this collossal waste of resources (both human and capital) in prosecuting a political trial at the expense of the sufferring masses of Sierra Leone. It was Leopord Senghor of Senegal who once said ‘my brother in gold-rimmed glasses, I find you pitiable’. As Senghor said years ago so I say unto you and those African brothers who have failed to see the veiled insult of the entire African continent and its people by this case, I FIND YOU PITIABLE!
Can someone tell me whether in the whole of Africa their are no competent Judges who can successfully preside over a case of this magnitude? Are there no several African judges that have distinguished themseves at the ICC? How then is it that in this court which is not even an international court we have one African judge sandwiched by two white judges who certainly no nothing abou Africa? Why is this case beeing prosecuted by two incompetent Yankee prosecutuors who haven’t got a clue about what they are doing? To add insult to injury, this court could not find a safe place to sit in the entire African continent, only the Hague is a secure place!
Untill we Africans begin to the view the world from the perspective in which Courtney Griffiths sees it, then we may never understand his anger! This is a wake up call!! Wake up Africa!!!
@Sylvanous et al
Insults and bombast are no substitutes for rational and cogent reasoning!!!Your somewhat confused comments are confirmation of the old adage that’ a little learning is a dangerous thing’. You seem to be teetering on the verge of intellectual hysteria.
It behoves me therefore to bridge the obvious gaps in your grasp of both the issues and the facts. I will endeavour in this comment to inform and bring you up to speed. These are some of the relevant and salient facts which seem to have escaped your attention:-
1)
‘The Special Court for Sierra Leone was set up jointly by the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations. It is mandated to try those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed in the territory of Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996.
Thirteen indictments were issued by the Prosecutor in 2003. Two of those indictments were subsequently withdrawn in December 2003 due to the deaths of the accused.
The trials of three former leaders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), of two members of the Civil Defence Forces (CDF) and of three former leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) have been completed, including appeals.’ All the above were tried convicted and their appeals heard in S/L. The trial of Taylor is the only one transferred to the Hague,( on the instructions of the President and Presiding Judge the Immenent Jurist ‘Justice Gelaga King’ of S/L ) The transfer was due to security considerations, including the safety of Taylor.
2) You also seem to have lost sight of the central ‘issue’ here… the ‘issue’ under consideration is not whether the accused was a former President, or African or Martian, the ‘issue’ is ‘Did he commit Crimes against Humanity, War crimes etc? And in this context, even if he was god himself he would have to answer to Justice for these heinous crimes. The days when any two-bit dictator can slaughter people with impunity are rapidly retreating into the dustbins of history.
3) Your comment on the Judges and the prosecution team borders on the racist. For your information Mr Bangura from S/L is one of the prosecution Lawyers.
4)We are faced with a hecatomb of corpses, hundreds of thousands of tormented and tortured citizens screaming for justice and the depth of your analysis is the rather inane comment that it is all the fault, ‘the deceit and the sheer wickedness of the West’. Are we to understand that it was the ‘West’ that was slaughtering, raping, torturing and abusing our brothers, sisters, parents, children etc?
5) For your edification the AU is in the process of setting up a judicial structure which will enable us to bring future ‘monsters’ to book.
6) Your moral compass seems to be askew, the real ‘insult [to] the entire African continent and its people’, is NOT the putting of Taylor on trial, the real ‘real insult are the crimes against our humanity that were committed in our continent and to our people.
As Always Wadi’The Zima’
Sylvanus,
You, Taylor’s supporters, will find any justifications even if such justifications are irrational.
The behavior of the arrogant and incompetent Courtney Griffiths is unjustifiable and such nasty behavior such never be accepted in any civilized gatherings.
Where were your pan-African advocacies when NPFL and RUF were slaughtering their fellow Africans?
Morris,
Where were you when the killings in Northern Ireland were going on? Where were you when America exported ex-slaves to Monrovia? Where were you when Britain no longer needed slaves, and Sierra Leone became the dumping ground? Indeed, where are you today on earth or in Pluto? Are you on earth yet you do not know the difference between a revolution and retribution? Are you sure you understand the sheer cluenessness of your prosecution lawyers? Is it rational for you that some inconsequential dirty-looking stones will be the corner-stone of an 11 count criminal charges of war crimes! Have you in your wisdom given idea of where Taylor may have hidden his billions? Alas you may have to re-examine your thesis about irrationality and look inwards, its called INTROSPECTION!
Sylvanus,
We have problems in some African countries,if you are condenmed by the west ‘some africans that want to be deemed educated will follow their wisdom.However irrational!!!…As i keep saying the people condenming are responsible for the most horrendous breach of human rights the world has ever seen,You listed a few Sylvanus!The audacity of this is mind buggling.
All fair minded people like you and i are saying is TRY CHARLES TAYLOR FOR WAR CRIMES HE MAY HAVE COMMITED IN LIBERIA, IN A LIBERIAN COURT
Because even myself initially give this prosecutors the benefit of the doubt,but as this case unfold ,it is beyond logic to place the responsibility of the war in Sierra Leone on Mr Taylor .
All i have learnt from this case is that there is a Pan-African Movement,Headed by the Libyan president,also including other african leaders such as the Ivorian leaders ,Burkinabe and more.
Decision by regional organisation including the ECOWAS is regularly underminded and overruled by the west with the support of a sell out african leader,these sell out are usually portray as civilized by the so called international community (The West)
The saying goes :YOU FULL ME ONES SHAME ON YOU”YOU FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME!!!
This situation and many others i observed between the west and some countries in africa including Sierra Leone & Liberia,has got the FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME ‘Thing going blatantly
Morris Kanneh,
Who’s being irrational here? You and your colleagues havefailed to understand the simplest of facts. “THE DIAMOND WAS BROUGHT BY TWO BLACK MEN “. How hard is it, or how long is it going to take most of the liars who want Taylors life by all means to just get it once and for all. Morris, you know if this case was in the USA, it would have long been trash out the windows.
WOW! I see you claiming incompetency of Griffith. Are you serious ? Did you mean to say that, or it just jumped out of your emotions.Did you mean legally incompent or what the hec are you talking about? Sometimes the statements most of you make contradict those high standard educational claims you’ve made here. I suggest you retract that trash. Quite.. quite.. wrong..
Sylvanus, I do understand your fustration and empthized with it however, it is our (Africans) lack of commitment to each other that have prompted strangers to subject us to any and all kinds of degrading process.
The same people who are now motiving this trial, are the same ones who inciting the chaos and benefitted directly from it. That is why I recently applauded the African Union for spitting in the eyes of the ICC when it came to the leader of Sudan. Why only African leaders should be tried by the ICC while other leaders in so-called developed nations live on without being booked for thier actions. Justice is not justice but witch-hunt if it is selective, and that’s what this kakameme nonsense in The Hague is about and that’s why the international media have failed to give any credence at all.
As usual, the moderators of this website will continue to attempt to silence me by refusing to post my comment as they have done to previous comments I have posted condemning the existance of this “wanne=be” court. It is ironic to see a the very system trying someone for subpressing the will of the people suppressing our will to voice our dissent. If the moderator didn’t not want individuals commenting on these procceedings or wanted everything to said to favor the court, should have said so or should say so.
If this court should find Taylor guilty, then I say we will demand that since the international community has funds to waste on non essentials then a Special Court on Liberia should be set up and the first defended should be Ahmed Tejan Kabba former president of Sierra Leone, Ellen Johnson, president of Liberia, Prince Johnson, Senator in Liberia, Alihaji G.V. Kromah, end all. This is a manifestation of true justice.
Noboy is against what you just outlined, Hishighnessjake. What we are saying here is that let first thing be done first. When taylor is locked up, then we turn our attention to whether we should set a tribunal in Liberia, and waste more task payers money as you same pro-taylor believe. You guys are not going yo have it both ways! Free taylor and then set tribunal to prosecute others! Silly, isn’t it?
Dear noko5,
Your comment submitted today has not been approved because of the use of one word that does not fit within our guidelines. If you remove the word in the last sentence of your comment, I will happily post.
Fallah,
Your inability to grasp the world has never been clearer than this weak and monumental failure that you are advancing. Our thoughts are very clear. Set up a War Crimes court in Liberia now and help us implement the TRC Report on Liberia. However, in that TRC Report, President Taylor is being named and recommended for prosecution. So how do we want it both ways according to you genius?
Fallah, let me be blunt with you. You run the risk of offending the powers of this world who have sown the seeds of their own demise and have been hit with curtail circuit rimming their their throats of Adam’s Apple by President Taylor and their own witness, Ms. Naomi Campbell, if you support War Crimes Court idea in Liberia now. Bear in mind now, Super Model Naomi Campbell said she did not receive any diamonds from this innocent man and in fact, she doesn’t even know him. JESUS CHRIST, GOOD LORD, ALMIGHTY, WHICH WAY SHOULD WE TURN?
GENERAL FIX IT:
AKA Jose Rodreguez,
I think the devil will be CHOKED on his breakfast this morning.. YOU SAID IT LOUD AND CLEAR…
Now Fallah Menjor,
Lets counter analys your rationale or disect your vague idea posted to Hishighnessake; Grab Taylor without any investigation lock him up ,before thinking whether a tribunal should be set up in liberia. Don’t you think this is the most silly and stupid statement of the day?? Haven’t you learnt yet from our passed civil crisis in liberia ? Don’t you think unlawful incasuration of peaceful citizens is a part of what brought the war? How would you dare come up with such devious and counterproductive statement. Look my friend , you have made me to gather that your hate for Taylor is personal and has notthing to with seeking justice for those who suffered during the war. Now I tell you what, take your personal issue up with Taylor and stop making evil suggestions that could bring serious trouble back to our poor country and its people…thank you
Noko5,
In addition to what you’ve just said, Fallah is a supporter of this inherently flaw court which continues to look for new and fresh evidence everyday while this innocent man lingers in their jail cell. Why should we wait for Taylor to be acquitted/guilty first Sierra Leone before establishing a War Crimes court in Liberia? Why can they do the same thing they are doing to President Taylor to Ellen Johnson, Prince Johnson, Brownie Samuka, Demintee Conneh, Thomas Yaya Nimely, Dr. Sawyer, Dr. George Boley, Dr. Fahnbullah, and ect?
My fellow Comrades,
Big B is vacationing in the Bahamas and will soon be back to keep those haters in check. My good friend fallah the cat is away, the mice is free to play.
Thanks Big B. Please don’t forget to send me post card from your vacation. I hope you take a good rest because the oldman will be waiting for your arrival, meanwhile noko5 will be my next drum to play with.’, and don’t forget the new comer, CEE, the Pan_Africanist!
LOL
Fallah,
Post card from Big B.
YA; Maybe post Television…
Jose,
Thank you brother..
Tracey,
Does the Special Court has an ambulance?
I suggest that the court get one close-by. For my crystal ball tells me that somebody will need an ambulance upon sufficient holes being bored through Issa Sesay’s testimony.
Vanie,
The ambulance that you have asked for is intended for the prosecutors who did not have a disclaimer on Naomi Campbell until she dashed their last hope which implode the structure of their sandy foundation right before their eyes. It was so embarrassing that Ms. Hollas said Naomi Campbell was not their witness. The judge disagreed. However, these Three Witnesses in person ofNaomi Campbell, Mia Farrow, and Carole White were prosecutor’s witnesses.
Alpha,
The RUF was not the only group in Sierra Leone fighting in that war that is responsible for the commission of heinous crimes against the civilian population of Sierra Leone during the country’s 11-year conflict. The Sierra Leone government was also responsible for the commission of heinous crimes against the civilian population during the country’s 11-year conflict too along with other.
Sesay has not taken time off his sentence to testify for Mr. Taylor in The Hague. Sesay was transported from the Rwanda prison where he is serving his 52 years sentence, to testify for Mr. Taylor in The Hague.
I missed the outburst this morning by Mr. Griffiths. What was it that set him off?
Sylvanus, you should turn your attention on the behavior, exibited, in court by Courtney Griffiths that seemingly was not only unprofessional, but low class lawyering, to say the least. Alpha is not who your focus should be on except if Alpha is your easy target that you can pick on with impunity. Come on to fallah who is at liberty to get even with any types of rubbish on this forum. You sound not only silly, but absurd. What are you talking about Mother Africa that you seem to know very little about, neither care about its image to out siders? Again, thanks for trying to express your ignorance so we know them by their colors..Griffiths apologised..and that’s all that matters at this point, and not who has malice against Brother Alpha..So say jfallahmenjor..peace!
Fallah Menjor,
Alpha Sesay never told you he could not speak for himself. Neither does any one on this forum recognise you as his spokesperson. You say I sound ‘silly and and absurd’ – do you know what those words mean? Can you bring yourself to address the issues which I raise? Stop being diversionary with your primitive mannerisms. Come down to earth, for you must be living in another planet! My brother who prides himself in being fluent in another man’s language, I find you pitiable!!
Alpha, I marvell at how quick you are to moderate a post that describes one as ‘silly and absurd’, yet you and Tracy keep reminding us of rules that exist only on your keyboards!
Sylvanus,
Two rules exist! one for Taylor supporters and one for Anti-Taylor people.
Can someone please tell me why there has been no Special Court for Northern Ireland? A place where atrocities have been committed for ages. The answer is simple. Only Africans are still in the dark ages, they are yet to be civilised and can thus not resolve their own problems. Yet, as soon as the West cries foul about an African leader, some of my African brothers like Fallah simply jump into the band wagon and start playing with jonses.
No event exemplifies what fools we must be in the eyes of these know-it-alls than the events of the previous week. Simply because a glamour model and two good-for-nothing white women were coming to testify, the whole world went agog! But Mr. Issa Sesay, the only surviving RUF leader has been testifying for ages in favour of Taylor and no one is taking notice. Why? Because we Africans are fools, we believe only what the Western media reports.
Only an African will be told that a President of a country will give dirty-looking stones to a glamour model and he believes. But even beneath that, is the bigger insult- that African head of states are nothing but touts! And guess who will be the first to believe such ‘cock and bull story’, FALLAH MENJOR! Wise up people!! You cannot be fools forever!!!
Brilliant, just brilliant piece
Sylvanus
The Special Court of SL was created to bring reconciliation to the people of SL. President Kabbah reached out to the international community to help punish the individuals whom were responsible for the atrocity that took place in the SL war (this court was initiated by the SL people, for the SL people). If your argument was based on how the SCSL are singling out individual from one side of the conflict that toke place in SL. You would have definitely had my support. This site is the most balance website you can find on the internet/world when it comes to reporting Mr. Taylor trail. At times, I think Aphla highlights key findings of the defense, to please the individual that believe Mr. Taylor is innocent. “We African are not fools” We just can’t believe a man whom cried wolf twice. Mr. Sesay has been in front of the SCSL two times and both times he cried innocent but each time, we have seen him guilty. In reality, it’s a fool whom can trust Mr. Sesay. Just because a individual start off with the intention to free our people does not give them the right violate their humanitarian right in the process. I applaud people like Fallah Menjor with the courage to overlook a person good intentions. We have been solving our own problems (what do you think President Taylor initial intentions were?) for years. The only problem is the problem solver becomes the problem and the end result is no peace for our people. You are mistaken because due process is the only civilized way to prevent anarchy. So, lets see where the band wagon is going and find out what tune Jones is playing.
Al-Solo Nyonteh,
Mr Sesay was Convicted under the doctrine of command responsibility. he was tried because he is the most senior surviving member of the RUF. Had Sankoh and Bockarie been alive, he may not have been prosecuted int he first place, just like Gibril Massaquoi, Mike Lamin Isaac Mongor and other senior member of the rebel group are walking free today because the prosectution wanted to prosecute only the most senior members. So your point about him making claims about his innocence is mis-stated. you need to read the transcripts of his trial to see the strategy of his defence in his case.
There was no way he could have been acquited in that trial since in that case, the prosecution was able to demonstrate that those attrocities were committed, and that the leadership of the RUF then did not punnish those crimes despite being aware of those crimes. The prosecution did not need to show that Issa Sesay committed those crimes himself or that he gave direct orders for those crimes to be committed. Issa Sesay’s claims in his defence that he did not give the command for those crimes to be committed and that he did not personaly commit those crimes was not enough to exhornorate him from those crimes under the doctrine of Command responsibility. In the real sence he is just suffering for the crimes of Foday Sankoh and Sam Bockarie.
So you cannot judge his credibility in this instant case based on the verdict in his own trial. The prosecution in their cross examination, need to show why the judges must not believe Issa Sessay’s version of events by seeking to show contradictions in his testimony and to show why the accounts of the prosecution witnesses are more likely to be true.
sam
Your theory sounds very good, but I’m sorry to inform you, it’s only ear candy. All the individual that were deemed to bear the greatest responsibility of the humanitarian crimes that toke place in SL were indicted on the same day. On March 7, 2003 the SCSL issued indictments for Foday Sankoh, Sam Bockarie, Issa Sesay, and Charles Taylor because they were deemed to have had “command responsibility” of the humanitarian crimes. Issa Sesay was winner up for the most charges against him. One of his arguments were, the humanitarian crimes were not “official RUF policies”. Issa played a major role in the disarmament of the RUF, he had the power to enforce RUF official policies but he didn’t because it was an acceptable common practice, a fear tactic (which the prosecution team proved). I’m basing his credibility on his pass performance with the SCSL judges which are collogues of Mr. Taylor judges. In my opion “Mr. Sesay is stepping up to the plate with the same umpires, with a 0% batting average. Mr. Sesay have struck out before the prosecution team even throws the first ball”
Finally, any one that describes me as a Taylor supporter must go and get checked by a psychiatrist! For I am no Liberian neither are my from Sierra Leone, and will never be. I remain an apostle of non-violence per excellence, I remain a believer in the supremacy of the law over man, but never a ‘zoombie’ that swallows all I read in the press ‘hook, line and sinker! Untill Africa gets rid of the likes of Fallah Menjor its map will remain a question mark!! It will keep asking the question: WHY IS THIS CONTINENT STILL BACKWARD?
Sylvanus,
All I can say is: Dont get distracted by Fallah’s comments and the seeming biase of Tracey/Alpha. we true justice seekers need to keep our voices up to counter that of the western sponsored propaganda in this case and discuss the merits of issues raised in the case. the pro-prosecution people know that their arguments are not based on acceptable logic but on preconceived biase against Mr Taylor hence they quickly turn intellectual debate about issues in the trial, into personal attacks and even adopt the “know-it-all” attitude of the west in questioning the intellect of people seeking true justice.
Sylvanus, I have read all your arguments and it makes no sense, I am having trouble comprehending your point, you seem to be uh uh uh everywhere, I don’t know what to say, can you please try explaining youself again.
John Thompson,
You will be better of if you don’t comment.
John Thompson,
Can I suggest…., how about doing ESL for the summer. I guess it may help your level of comprehension. Cuz, my little son who’s in middle school told me he likes Sylvanus’s post. it is unbelievably clear and a 1000% comprehensible or very intelligible..SORRY. LOL..oh God, my HEAD.. why Lord..help them please….
John Thompson,
Where are you in your own argument, I haven’t read any logical one from you either!!!
Now, had this rermark about others educational levels being posted from fallah by Alpha, there would be cry of foul and baby whinnings all over! You should not talk about levels of any comprehensions as you do not seem to know any better,noko5. Let’s not forget that we are purposefully here to debate about alleged crimes committed by your super prisoner at the Hague! That’s what we are talking about here noko5!
John Thompson,
We live in a multi-polar world,the logic you aspire to does not represent the worlds logic’maybe western logic,which is simply might is right,peppered with a good dose of double standards all over the place..We are just trying to make sense of what been put infront of us,with regards to this trial and according to the evidence to date i can’t say the accused is guilty!
John the only people that are in agreement with the western views is the west….and their outdated lackies!!!!The views of the west are mainly biased towards every other political group………THESE GUYS CIVILISATION IS BASED ON RACISM.I suppose i am going to be accused of all sort now,because i criticise the old book!!
I guess they have changed yes?….John Thompson if you are African please feel free to think outside the box…..John there are many routes to jerusalem these days .
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e9ee08f4-a57b-11df-a5b7-00144feabdc0.html
Naomi is good for copy but not for justice
“The effort prosecutors put into getting a subpoena for Ms Campbell to testify and into persuading judges to re-open their case after it had been formally completed last year has prompted doubts about their confidence in the solidity of their original line of argument.”
Sylvanus view on this whole sharade is in proper perspective but what make me sick is those igorant liberian hate mongers who refuse to read between the line. And as a result, because of their hatred for one individual, (Taylor) their own brother they welcome the wrongful prosecution of Liberia and Africa as a whole not Taylor.
Ignorance is really a disease. Just what was done to Liberia by the league of nations forcing the King administration to resign for something that was practiced by all these same western nations is done again today. But this time it is not forced labor in Fernand Po but arms dealing and diamond smuggling in Sierra Leone.
Why is little Liberia is always the “whipping boy”. The one to set the example on for what they are all still doing until this very day, gun running and diamond smuggling, even when Taylor is now out of the picture.
Who supplied LURD those mortor round that they used to indiscriminatedly kill liberians during the last days Mr. Taylor was president?
What a pitty! Will Africa ever wake up?
Why Taylor supporters always deviate from the substance whenever the trial process takes a twist against them. When one is talking about western conspiracy, another is talking about Taylor not being the only killer and then the other would talk about the need to also hold weapon makers and sellers accountable for Taylor’s action. Mr. Griffiths behavior today was inappropriate and childish . I think his behavior portrayed him as the ‘BOY’ ,and not Mr. Koumjian. His behavior was an embodiment of a weak lad who has been outmatched and outwitted by a strong, vibrant legend. Now i can see his frustration today has taken hold of pro-Taylor folks.
Vem,
You can not be serious. You wish Griffithe was outmatched and outwitted by your so-call intellectually superior and nuanced lawyers who always opening and closing their own case almost every time at their will. However, Mr. Koumjian and Ms. Hollas are like schoolyard bullies who never take responsibility for their action. For example: they brought their own witness, Ms. Naomi Campbell who brutally dashed their hopes when she said she didn’t received diamonds from President Taylor. Ms. Hollas said Ms. Campbell was not their witness and the judges took serious exception to that false claim of the prosecutors who could not figure out her own witness. However, the prosecutors are always looking in the past through the present. And it is about time that somebody calls them on that one, and that somebody is me, Jose Rodriguez. Vem, to me, it is just utter and conscience incompetence when you brought your own witness and tried to impeach the credibility of said witness. One would expect the prosecution to have at least some cognitive development especially after being heavily favored and with the massive resources to their disposal, but reality belies that argument and calls it a pernicious myth.
Where did it twist VEM, my brother where are you posting from? DE PLANETS’ NAME PLEASE…
Alphe or Tracy
where is the rules on this site? or is the rules on this site only for one group?
I CAN NOT believed that you guys published the comment made by fallah menjor. I was thinking, if Jose Rodreguez or those that don’t see things you guy’s ways on this site, would have published it?
I corrected a few typos in this version — my apologies:
1. I can’t help to wonder why the arms dealers–most noticeably a certain Victor Bout–haven’t been brought up in the connection with the attack on Kono. I seem to remember reports that he (Bout) was one of the alleged instigators of the Kono attacks and provided a good chunk of the weaponry (allegedly in cooperation w Taylor and Sankoh)
2. @ Salvanus: while I have sympathy for your panafrican sentiments (I mean that very sincerely) I think it’s a pity you try to ruin the image of international criminal justice by espousing what I’m sure you know is false facts about the ICC. Surely, you know very well that the African countries where the ICC have become involved, in the majority of cases, have invited the Court themselves — Sierra Leone included (although that’s a different set-up altogether). Surely, you also know that the ICC will step in only when a country is unable or unwilling to take up cases themselves. In that regard, surely you would agree that Sudan is completely unwilling to lead a trial against its sitting President? (and surely you would agree that mentioned President deserves to be put on trial).
Now, this is not to say that the int’l system isn’t biased and I completely share your frustration with the impossibility of Bush/Rumsfeld ever being put on trail for war crimes in Afghanistan (or a number of other places) or, really, any other Western leader being put on trial for any of the atrocities they are responsible for. But this doesn’t mean that African leaders should escape justice just because they control their countries’ judicial systems. On the contrary, it means we should all fight for a more equitable int’l system where developing and developed nations enjoy equal influence in places like the UN Security Council and other places where the real decisions–including regarding the ICC–are made.
Mr Caulker,
Something similar about us….Anyway lets talk politics!
We all agreed on one thing that nobody should get away with impunity right!I am happy the people that causes so much suffering for our people in sierra leone have been put behind bars.
And i will also support a liberian war crimes tribunal similar to the one we have in sierra leone where i think Mr Taylor should be rightly tried becuase the evidence here is making fair minded people question the need for such charges against Mr Taylor in this Sierra Leone tribunal.If we are going to try leaders that support the RUF according to the evidence we have all seen,we should be filing cases against Gadafi,The leaders of Ivory Coast,Burkina Faso,perhaps even Madela the way we are going.
So why Charles Taylor that plays according to this evidence only a brief initially role in assisting the RUF.So eventhough the evidence is pointing at these countries we are still been ushered to pick fights with our neighbours just because the people that say who can be tried chooses Mr Taylor….This is just Mad!I will not accept this nonsense bull logic that is going against our sense of reasoning as African…
I dare that Campo freak to file a law suit against the Libyan,Ivorian and Burkinabe Leaders.
For me this is a case of someone telling me something that is contrary to the evidence i have seen.
Sylvanus,
I think you are more of a fool than anyone else you think. To think that all Africans should blind their eyes to wrongdoings of their leaders – even to their own people – is a thing that no sane person would suggest.
For example, you are applauding the rude and uncivilized behaviour of Griffiths and even calling it a wake-up call that’s long over due. Why will he become rude when it is the time for the prosecution to make his “lover boy Sesay” to turn his story around by being asked the real questions and not the love affairs they both have been having? Do you call this a wake up call or you want for well meaning Africans to join you in your naivety? SHAME ON YOU!!
On the other issues, it is not only Taylor (because I hate call him Mister) or other African leaders that have gone on trial for crimes commited during their regimes, what about European/Western leaders like Slobodan Melosovich of Bosnia, Augustin Penochi of Chile, are these blacks or African leaders? You Taylorists (Terrorists) better wake up instead.
Fallah and the likes of Ms. Teage, Charles and other well meaning Africans who think well for Africa and Africans, let’s keep the torch burning.
Christopher Sankolo
Sankolo,
This is no sidewalk talk discussion. Please explain to us what did Mr. Griffith do?
Tracey, did you see Sankolo calling and criminalizing people who have different views from him as “terrorists”?
Folks, we know who are the troublemakers and by their fruit we shall know them. And when we know them, and when they continue to expose themselves, there will be certainly an indelible events in the triumph of our nation history. However, President Taylor will be acquitted and set free of all 11 counts of falsehood and deception and nothing is going to stop it.
Sankoh ,Fascist!its either you are a fascist or you have been indoctorinated by fascist ideals,are you a deviant?
Dear J. fallah menjor,
We are unable to post your comment because it is not in line with Rules of Conduct for the website – http://www.charlestaylortrial.org/about/terms/. Can you please rephrase your comment, so we are able to post it?
Thank you.
No problems as I have no time to look back Ms Tracey because the fight is too heavy to retreat now” I new one comming and in line with the policies..Jfallahmenjor the enemy to the taylorites.
Sorry I missed the Courtnay Griffiths outburst – I hop someone posts it to youtube and his apology as well.
Slvanus,
You say you are neither a Sierra Leonean nor a Liberian…..I am very sure that is the reason you are standing by Charles Taylor. You never felt the bitterness of the war. Your father’s hands were not chopped off, your mother was not raped in your presence, your brothers were not forced to become rebels, your sisters were not taken away to become sex slaves, your pregnant wife’s stomach was not slit open to take away your unborn child and grind it into pieces to be eaten , your cousins were not asked to sit a whole night and sing for the rebels, your aunts were not stripped naked and asked to have sex with their children in public or your uncle was not asked to insult people in a holy place (Mosque or Church). You are talking out of ignorance. You must keep quiet and let the ones that have been directly affected talk about this. Saying that you are an “apostle of non-violence per excellence” is not true.
Alpha Amadu Jalloh,
I am a Liberian by birth and felt the bitterness of the war. I also stand by justice and I certainly think President Taylor is being scapegoated here. Taylor did nothing wrong in Sierra Leone. Prove your case Jalloh. Show that Taylor was part of the Command and Control Structure of the RUF and therefore, he bears that criminal liability responsibility as the result of his subordinates actions. Remember now, No one, not even this fake prosecution has gone so far in contextualizing the capriciousness of Mr. Taylor being in Sierra Leone physically and doing these henious acts. And from all indisputable evidence, documents have shown that this innocent man was not the leader of the rebels and or the rebels took orders from him as their leader. Notwithstanding, Issa Sesay has just told you and the entire world that President Taylor was never their leader and as such, they did not take orders from him. Issa Sesay also said his ascendency to the main rebel leader position of the RUF was a collective and conceited effort by West Africa leaders contrary to the false proposition and idea that Taylor appointed him as rebel leader by the utter incompetent prosecutors. Once they can not prove that Taylor was in control of the rebels all the alleged doings of the rebels are squarely placed at their own feet and not this innocent man. Now when it comes to the diamond issue, the conscience incompetent prosecutors have unsuccessfully shown any direct link between Taylor and any diamond and gun manufacturing companies. They only time they ever came close to the issue of diamond is was when they brought Super Model Naomi Campbell as their star witness which was an unmitigated disaster for them. However, you know the reset of the story.
Well Alpha Amadu Jalloh,
The last time I check, Mr. Alpha Amadu Jalloh wasn’t a Liberian instead a Malian, fair enough? What make you think that you were directly affected more than any other Liberians posting on this site?
What people like you don’t understand about many of us who see this case against Mr. Taylor in-Justice is that, many Liberians died at the hand of NPFL while Mr. Taylor was the leader. Why is it that Mr. Taylor cannot face trial for the hundreds of thousands of Liberians who were murder by the NPFL and the warring factions? so are you telling the Liberian people that the lives of those who were killed in Liberia are less important? The very people who sponsored the killing of Liberians and others nationals are the very one ruling Liberia today, can’t you see that? Inorder to protect those very killers, the international community brough this false case against Mr. Taylor in Sierra Leone to mislead Africa and the african people!!!!!!! What a disgraceful disgrace in the history of man-kind?
General Jacone, you are back again with your “show me proof arguements” and no substance. I think Alpha Amadou Jalloh puts it simple and clear for lay men on this forum who find it difficult to put one and one together in analysing taylor’s crimes in the entire West African Region. most of you who claim and are hiding behind citizeships of Liberia seem to be the biggest liars on this site. you wouldn’t possibly be Liberians if you did not experienced any of those atrocities carried against the people of these regions except if you were close associates and part of these crimes and lived in areas particularly secured for the few Generals such as Jacone, or Jose Rodriguez,AKA General Fix It! How dear you call Amadou Jaloh a Malian? Because of his name? That is why i feel you guys who seem to have earned your Liberian Citizenships from else where are not only naive, but very insecured about proof of citizeship whenever you have nothing to offer to the debate. Are you guys worried that we wil disrobe you too after taylor falls! I believe this is the fear amongst you guys! Keep writing Amadou and Fallah stands by your great thoughtful presentation without fear of these “bullies.”
Jocone,
Don’t pay Fallah no mind. WITH HIS MOSQUITO THREATS..He’s not dangerous at all…You know how those old congor guys usually talk like they are still in power…
Big B,
ENJOY YAH..
Koumjian is tearing Sesay up! Keep it up…..keep pushing him…what happened to all those diamonds Sesay? The griffiths outburst was just demonstration of how frustrated he is that they are losing this case so badly. Again…..almost 30 linkage witnesses….nothing comparable in the ICTY and ICTR….and they all point to the larger theory….Taylor will be convicted because of Sam Bockarie…..on every level support and command responsibility. How can 5,10, 20 people all say basically the same thing about radio communications, sat phones, ammunitions, diamonds and all be at different vantage points..its called corroboration and this case has more of it than any major case before any of the major tribunals.
Ha ha ha….Bundu, I got the feeling that Mr. Koumjain trapped himself and the FULL PASSAGES to Mr. Sesay’s are NOT been read….
As for conviction via Mr. Bockerie, I say GOOD LUCK.
The reality of this court drama is simple. However negative reaction one has against the Americans for seeking the enslavement of Africans, if this case was in an American court, the judges would long throw this dubious political trial out to the streets. This case does not belong in no civilize court , it is nothing but jungle justice.
Establish a war crimes court in Liberia if you socalled international sponsor of justice are serious about justice. This case is a charade.
Did you guys notice yesterday that issa Sessay testimony in his own trial was change to a false testimony that he admitted to Sam Bocarie bring weapons from SL?
Binding and fallah that the question ur should be asking sassey,what he did to ur diamonds,don’t ask Taylor cause Liberia is also a diamonds rich country,if this case is about diamonds ur get a wroung,sassey say he never gave Taylor diamonds, it time Taylor face trail for the right reason the Liberia war,so SierraLonne don’t fool us and make Taylor a skip goat.be responsible for ur own action SierraLonnean.
Fallah, please answer this question,does Liberia have diamonds?