Mid-Morning Session: Examination of Witness TF1-358 Continued with Voice and Facial Distortion

12:00pm: Court resumed and prosecution counsel Mohamed Bangura continued the examination of Expert Witness TF1-358. The witness testified in open session with voice and facial distortion.

In his testimony, the witness said that he received several patients from the the north, south and east of Sierra Leone. Asked about specific ares in these regions, the witness said that those from the north where mainly from Makeni in Bombali District while those from the east where mainly from Koidu, Kenema and Daru. Describing some of the wounds of victims, the witness said that there were many cases of chronic amputations and badly infected wounds. He described cases of chronic ostromilisis and retraction, in which case the sub tissue around the bone contracts, exposes the bone and the bone becomes badly infected. The witness also described a situation where his colleague, another medical practitioner came to him with an attempted amputation of his arm. The witness said that many of the patients who went to his institution told him that their perpetrators were rebels. He testified of the genorousity of ordinary Sierra Leoneans who carried injured victims in trolleys and provided camp beds and matresses for his institution to provide treatment for these victims. The witness also explained that several of his workers in his medical institutions were caught behind rebel lines but were able to escape and go join him to treat the wounded victims. The witness explained that he treated a woman who was gang raped and her eyes plucked out by her attackers. He said that the rebels told the woman that she would not recognize them if her eyes were plucked out. He said that he also treated children who suffered amputations of various kinds.

Court adjourned for lunch break.