As he took the witness stand for a second week, a Sierra Leonean rebel leader today testified that the Ivory Coast government gave his rebel group a base to stay for far longer than former Liberian president, Charles Taylor – again distancing the former Liberian president from charges that he supported and controlled the neighboring rebels during the brutal 11-year conflict in Sierra Leone.
Issa Hassan Sesay, former interim leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group, currently serving a 52 year jail sentence in a Rwandan jail, has said that from 1996 to around 2000, the Ivorian government provided housing facilities where RUF leader Foday Sankoh was based together with his special adviser David Kallon and an RUF radio operator Memunatu Deen.
Prosecutors have long maintained that Mr. Taylor supported and controlled the RUF rebels during the conflict in Sierra Leone, including the provision of a guesthouse in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, sometime in the late 1990s. The guesthouse, according to prosecutors, served as a residence for RUF commanders when they brought diamonds to Liberia for Mr. Taylor to exchange for arms and ammunition. Mr. Taylor himself has admitted that sometime in the late 1990s, he indeed provided a guesthouse for the RUF in Monrovia — but it was solely to facilitate meetings geared towards bringing the conflict in Sierra Leone to an end. Today, Mr. Sesay testified that another government – the Ivorian one – was far more supportive to his rebel group than Mr. Taylor was, at least in terms of places for his rebel forces to stay.
“Mr. Sesay, what was the distinction between the assistance provided by the Government of Ivory Coast to the RUF and the assistance provided by the Government of Liberia?” Mr. Taylor’s lead defense lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths, asked Mr. Sesay.
“Well, the Ivorian government provided housing for the RUF from 1996, so they provided accommodation for a longer period that the Liberian government,” Mr. Sesay responded.
He said that the RUF maintained the residence in Ivory Coast until the year 2000.
When asked about which RUF officials occupied the house in Ivory Coast, Mr. Sesay explained that “it was Mr. Sankoh who was there, but when they arrested Mr. Sankoh in Nigeria, his adviser Pa Kallon was there.
“When they both [Sankoh and Kallon] returned to Sierra Leone in 1999, Mr. Sankoh’s wife Josephine Tengbeh was there up to 2000 with some wounded soldiers,” Mr. Sesay said.
Was there a radio operator based at those premises from 1996 to 2000?” Mr. Griffiths asked Mr. Sesay.
“It did not go up to 2000 — but up to 1998 an operator was there and it was that operator who left and moved to Liberia,” Mr. Sesay said. “She was Memunatu Deen.”
He added that Ms. Deen returned to Sierra Leone at some point in 1998, but that during the signing of the peace agreement between the Sierra Leonean government and the RUF in Togo in 1999, she was again deployed at the guesthouse in Abidjan. She was subsequently relocated to the RUF guesthouse in Monrovia, Mr. Sesay said.
As prosecutors have alleged that Mr. Taylor served as the main source of support for the RUF, defense lawyers now seek to establish that the RUF received assistance from several other sources, including foreign governments and West African peacekeepers. In Mr. Sesay’s testimony, he has pointed out that the RUF did not receive assistance from Mr. Taylor but rather from officials in Burkina Faso who supplied them with arms and ammunition, and Ivory Coast where he says that housing was provided to the RUF leadership.
Mr. Sesay also testified about diamonds that were given to him in 1998 and which went missing while he was in Liberia. According to prosecutors, Mr. Sesay had taken these diamonds to Mr. Taylor in Liberia — an account which Mr. Sesay has denied. The former RUF leader has said that he was on transit in Liberia on his way to Burkina Faso where the diamonds were to be used to purchase arms and ammunition. He explained today that RUF commander, Sam Bockarie, instructed Ms. Deen to pick up Mr. Sesay in Sierra Leone and take him to Liberia to meet RUF associate, Ibrahim Bah. Mr. Bah was to eventually take Mr. Sesay to Burkina Faso where the diamonds were to be delivered and arms and ammunition collected, Mr. Sesay said today. (Prosecutors allege that Mr. Bah was a close associate of Mr. Taylor).
“She [Memunatu Deen] was instructed by Bockarie to come to Kailahun. The purpose for her to come when Bockarie called her was to take me to meet Ibrahim Bah. Ibrahim Bah was to meet us in Monrovia so that we can go to Burkina Faso,” Mr. Sesay.
The diamonds eventually went missing in Monrovia and were never given to Mr. Bah, Mr. Sesay said.
Mr. Sesay refuted suggestions that the diamonds were to be taken to Mr. Taylor, saying that if that were to be the case, he would not have taken several days carrying the diamonds in Monrovia when they eventually went missing.
“If the diamonds were to be given to Mr. Taylor, then they wouldn’t have been missing from me because I was in Monrovia for six days,” Mr. Sesay said.
Mr. Sesay’s testimony continues on Tuesday.
JUSTICE JULIA SEBUTINDE,
I would like to extend my condolence to you for the lost and injuries of your Countrymen by some cowardice acts. Those innocent people did nothing wrong. They were only there to watched the World Cup final.
The people of Uganda are resilient; they have been through worst times. I am sure Ugandans will pick up the pieces and move on.
May God bless the people of Uganda in these difficulties moments.
The violence in Uganda is not only unfortunate, but sad and part of a vicious circle of violence in Africa that started in West Africa under bush revolutionaries such as sankoh and taylor. it would seem ironic for supporter of one type of violence in one place to decry another that is practically based upon the same principle: cuelty and senseless way to solve problems! I find it disturbing when people hide behide sainthood while sharing bed with LUCIFER! Come on, let’s be ourselves, deceitful and shameless pretenders! this act in Uganda is not closed to delibrate and well calculated murders that were carried on for a period of time repeatedly on the peoples of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Therefore, to see us as people decry other similar behaviors is not only being hypocritical, but insulting! I do not think this is a foroum for condolences! We can do this privately and not through piety!
Tracey,
You allowed fallah post of July 13, 2010 at 4:03 in which he called others by all kinds of nasty names. Is he a lord of this site? I think you need to do a liittle more better checking every one or better lay the rules aside.
Regards
Harris K Johnson
Dear Harris — first, apologies for my delay in posting and responding. Your comment came in after I had finished moderating yesterday.
On Fallah’s comment: he did not violate our policy for comments. In short, our policy has been not to allow for personal attacks directed at specific individuals on this site. Fallah’s comment was not directed at anyone in particular as far as I could tell and that is why it met the requirements to be posted.
I hope that answers your question, Harris.
Best,
Tracey
fallah,
You may be right this is not the “forum for condolences” but when you referred to other bloggers as not being nature Liberians is that statement the right statement for this forum?
How would you call others not being a nature citizen, when you (fallah) stated in one of your blogs that you are an American citizen? You sold your birth right, you are not a Liberian.
Ms Teage and others are empathy and remorseful for the incident in Uganda, apparently, you are the only one without remorse.
May God bless you!
Can court come to close and free Mr taylor.Mr Taylor did not carry out no crime in sierre-leone.
Rightly placed condolence Big B, and I stand with you and all other contributors to this site in extending my condolence to justice Sebutinde, for the lost of innocent lives in her homeland Uganda, and may the Almighty God brings those responsible to account.The key to all should be Innocent Lives, we are here because of the innocent lives taken in Sierra Leone, and its responsible parties some already convicted, and decisions pending after trial of Charles Taylor, from this stand point I pray along with mother Africa & the international community that all innocent lives lost in Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Africa & any where in the world must never be forgotten.
Big B, ths is so nice. Yes indeed, the people of Uganda have suffered enought … only time will heal their discomfort. May God bless them.
I will like to extend my Condolences to my Ugandan brothers and sister.
What a sad event! Absolutely despicable act!!
The people of Uganda are in my prayers.
Tracey + ALL BLOGGERS,
Sorry that you have to keep reminding us all to stay on the issues. I’m trying my hardest to ignore the comments directed to me. I try to quote other readers only when issues are being discussed.
As of now I will comment on issues only if it pertains to the trail and not personal issues. I implore other readers despite the ‘side’ you’re ‘advocating’ to join me in “STICKING TO THE ISSUES” and NOT EACH OTHERS’, it’s quite exciting when we are truly conversing about the issues and everyone is offering their perspective despite the ‘sides’ you stand on. I enjoy the debates held here, I enjoy sometimes getting educated about different issues and educating others. I hope that people hear me out and not pass this post as ‘nonsense’ just because you’ve always disagreed with my opinion of Taylor.
-Cheers.
Ms. Teage — I absolutely agree with you — it is very exciting and energizing when real debates get going on this site. People can be so thoughtful and knowledgeable about the issues here, and I always learn from it when readers discuss the issues emerging from the trial. And you are absolutely right – apart from the impact it has on individual readers when personal attacks are made, it also distracts us from the good conversations we have here.
I promise too to be more vigilant in identifying and not posting comments which contain personal attacks so we can keep our good discussions going, regardless of what ‘side’ people are on.
Best,
Tracey
Here is an interesting dialogue between Griffins and Issy Sesay that connects the dots to sandline and the canadian diamonds company. Why is international justice ignoring these hard facts? Did these big diamond companies fund this court indirectly to continue the exploitation of poor nations’ wealth?
July 8th
MR GRIFFITHS: Pause there. I think we will forget about
the measurement because I think we get an idea of the size:
Q. That first satellite phone obtained you say by Bockarie in
1999, who gave it to him?
A. A business partner with whom he was doing business with
Bockarie called Carlos from Canada.
Q. The second one that you saw him with after Lome, where did
he get that phone from?
A. It was Ibrahim Bah who brought this other set of people,
because he was the one who also brought Carlos to Buedu. He
brought those other man called – people called Michel and Louis.
They were from Belgium. Carlos too was a white man. These
people were white people. Michel and Louis were also white
people. It was Ibrahim Bah who brought them back to Bockarie and
they were doing business in 1999. They were the ones who brought
the third satellite phone for Sam Bockarie.
Here are some more of the discourse linking sandline:
A. No, no. During that meeting Sam Bockarie did not make
mention of Mr Taylor’s name. Sam Bockarie only said that he
thought it fit for us to attack Kono because —
Q. Because?
A. He said because he had been getting information that the
ECOMOG troops were many in Kono and that the Government of Sierra
Leone by then had brought mercenaries, the Sandline, and at the
same time those Sandline mercenaries were doing mining in Kono,
and he said he thought it fit to attack Kono because that was the
best thing, and it was an order from Sam Bockarie.
Ah ah! just been reading about this Cindor Reeves character,classic West African idiot……..”.no doubt there are some who think he is in the path of the righteous.”I fear the M15/CIA can create a Cindor character out of most of our brothers and sisters in west africa if they so chooses…..they came 100 for a penny!
I feel sorry for him as i feel sorry for the people that sell’s their sisters,brothers and sisters children to these same character 500 yeras ago ..
THE SOUL SNATCHERS!!!!!!!People like Mr Crane and Cindors deals on souls and spirits.Libereans weakest spirit is been used to kill their strong spirits ….
Concentrate Libereans and Sierra Leonean…you are at the verge of been colonialised again……but some of you want that anyway,just when the world is getting multi-polar some people wanted to be colonised,and its not an African thing its a uniquely Liberia /sierra leone issues…
OIL EXPLORATION ON THE COAST OF LIBERIA/SIERRA LEONE,DIAMOND DISCOVERY IN SIERRA LEONED IN 1930,Britain withdrew 1960’s,not enough time to properly exploit….Will write more comprehensively on this matter in the future……
THIS TRIAL IS ABOUT POLITICS AND CONTROL>>>>
NO, this trial is about a man who murder so many innocent civilians for his personal greed. He’s simply been given an opportunity he didn’t give to so many people (fair trial, any trial).
And why you think he shouldn’t be given a FAIR trial??? Who didn’t he give trial to John??
Ms. Teage
Your comment was rightly placed and thisis what we should be doing. We are all entitle to our opinion and views, but I think some of us take it personal and as civil individuals, we should respect other despite their views.
I hope others will heed or follow suit.
Now Fallah,
Are you going to call the Justice and personally express your condolences? Why try to take away the grief of another person and tie it to the Sierra Leonean problems? From the way you think, I believe your were the only person in Liberia that did not take a side in the conflict there. And if I could bet my life on it, you took a side. All those parties committed atrocities against the people of LIberia, so do hide behind your writing and portray yourself as the one above all, “The Truth Detector” “The Lie Detector” .
Simeon,
I absolutely agree that readers on this site should respect other readers I also agree that everyone is entittled to his opinion. But nobody is entitled to a WRONG opinion. In this forum when someone attempts to present his opinion as a fact, it triggers immediate reponses from other readers because this is an highly emotional criminal case. this is not a village square where tales are told under the nite sky. this is a serious forum discussing about an historic case which has the capacity to impact future trials of ex presidents and has changed the history of west africa forever. so when one is presenting his opinion here, he should make it clear that it is an opinion not to wrongly present it as fact making outlandishly false assertions about the case without any shred of proof to help establish the credibility of the claim.
We might not know it but this site is actually a resource for many journalists from africa who are trying to follow the case without going to the hague to witness it live. I was reading an online edition of a newspaper recently and suprisingly it carried alpha’s summary almost word for word and even refered to user comments from this site. so you see that this forum has the capacity to shape public opinion about the trial.
My only complain about this site is the biase (my view) by Tracey or alpha in moderating pro-Taylor comments on this forum. I have complained about it several times but they keep giving me almost the same answer evrytime – they try to be fare to everybody. well for me I do not agree with the reasons they give for disqualifying some comments. I do not know wether that biase stems from self censorship or it is even an unconcious biase. I wonder what this site would have been had this case not been a case that raises emotion necessitating emotional comments on this site. However as I have said on many occassions I will not stop sending comments even if those comments are not posted by Tracey/Apha. As long as i satisfy myself that I have not broken any rules and I respect other readers, I will keep sending comments because keeping quiet will only give this prosecution and their western allies a propaganda advantage.
Hi Sam — I do hope that you will continue sending in your comments, as you contribute greatly to the debate here. All I can say for Alpha and myself is that we will continue doing our best to ensure this site carries fair and accurate reporting, and that our moderation of policy is based on transparent rules which we apply as fairly as we can. I continue to welcome any comments when you or other readers feel Alpha or I have treated you unfairly. We remain happy to discuss.
Best,
Tracey
I disagreed, I think we should be saying that some people on this site opinoins. I was call a rebel by Fallah on this site. I did called me a general for Mr. Taylor NPFL just for saying what I knew. As the result, I don’t post now a day like I used to. I know for a fact that the trial of Mr. Taylor for what happened in Sierra Leone was the wrong decision made by the international community. As such, I did ask a question as how was RUF getting weapons to continue thier fight in Sierra Leone when ULIMO did control the border of liberia and Sierra Leone. You know what? I was called a rebel where as I did not fight in the war in Liberia. I came to the U.S.A before becoming a Soldier.
The prosecutors need to press Sesay during cross examination as to how the diamonds allegedly enroute to Burkina Faso for arms subsequently went missing in Monrovia. It is not difficult to see that the diamond did reach it’s intended destination (Monrovia and Charles Taylor)
KEEP TALKING AND CONFIRMING PROSECUTORS ALLEGATIONS UNCONSCIOUSLY.
Nosirrah,
Can you explain why Issa Sessay kept those diamonds with him (according to prosecution exibit) for 3 days in Monrovia with out taking it to the intended recipient Charles Taylor beofre it eventually got missing? Can you explain how it was that it was reported on the radio in Liberia that diamonds were found on the ground in the same street Issa Sessay lodged in an hotel? can you explain why it was that Issa being as you claim a guest of Charles Taylor was not lodged in one of the guest houses or hotels the government was using in Monrovia at the time?
You see, your logic raises more questions than answers and in a court of law more questions means DOUBT which inevitably means you have failed to PROVE your case. Simple!
Sam,
I admire your vigilence, especially of my posts.
To answer your question, i will start with a question. Can you also explain why Issa Stayed i think for six days in Monrovia instead of proceeding directly to his destination ( Burkina Faso)?
The above question and the one you asked me are for Issa to answer. Secondly Issa did not lodged in one of Taylor’s quest houses, because by then Taylor’s administration had gauged the international community’s disdain towards his government and knew fully well that some accountability of some kind was eminent. Due to the foresight of a pending trial, Taylor started distancing himself from all clandestine activities and resulted to using surrogates like Yeaten . A case in point; the arms deal transacted between Yeaten and the RUF was a product of this formula. According to Taylor, he did not have enough weapons and ammunitions, therefore Yeaten couldn’t have pulled this off without Taylor noticing.
Discovered diamonds on the street that Issa lodged as you informed me was a ploy to negate or refute the transaction and the scattered diamonds is an old strategy to distract pursuit: scatter a few stones and carry the bulk to Taylor or Yeaten. Its like a bank robber who scatters few bank notes to get the chase off.
You guys keep asking for hard tangible evidence and at the same time forgetting the lack of professionalism of these organizations (RUF & NPFL) in question. They were rag-tag armies that lack and neglected the capabilities of accounting and record keeping and the judges are aware of this. Any decision rendered in this case will be based on credibility from their deduction.
Nosirrah,
Well let me start by saying I do not take any personal interest in your posts it just happens that probably you are currently the most vocal of the prosecution supporters who at least brings in some logic into his arguments rather than merely rant and rave about the guilt of Charles Taylor like the prosecution instead of attempting to convince us with sound arguments to necessitate fruitful dialogue on issues from this case.
Now here is the answer to your question:
He was instructed by Sam Bockarie to go to monrovia along with Memunatu Deen to await Ibrahim Bah who is expected to come to monrovia and pick him to Burkina Faso to in effect buy arms.- That was Issa Sessay’s testimony to the court.
Now in your response to my question you actually did not answer the question you simply transferred it to Issa Sessay. well Issa Sessay has already answered the question to the court. The diamonds were not meant for Charles Taylor. that explains why those diamonds were with him for 3days according to the prosecution but 6 days according to issa sessay before they eventually got missing while waiting for Ibrahim Bah to join him in Monrovia. because logically if those diamonds were meant for Charles Taylor, Issa would have handed them over to him immediately he got to monrovia but even by the account of the prosecution, that was not the case, he kept them for 3days in monrovia instead of giving them to Charles Taylor. Well the prosecution and their supporters have a duty to convince us as to why we should not believe Issa Sessay’s logical answer but rather believe the prosecution’s version.
Next you claim that the news about diamonds been picked up in Monrovia was in effect a diversionary tactics or at best a ruse by either Issa Sessay or Charles Taylor (I really did not get who you allege was trying to play pranks) has to be proven beyond all reasonable doubt. As it stands there is no evidence before this court to support that claim.(if there is please point me to it).
It is not impossible for Benjamin Yeaten to sell ammunition to RUF without Mr Taylor’s knowledge. Guinean solders sold ammunition to RUF, ECOMOG sold ammunition to the RUF, Gen Diendere in Burkina Faso sold ammunition to the RUF. Are you saying now that because some corrupt officials in these contries sold ammunition to the RUF then the governments of those countries were supporting the RUF? or the authorities in ECOWAS were supporting the RUF? Even this prosecution that is known to make the most frivolous assertions/suggestions without any proof have not accussed any of the presidents of these governments or ECOWAS of supporting the RUF (at least there is no evidence to that effect on the record) why then should the case of Liberia be different?
My condolence to justice Sebutinde for the situation to her country people.
Tracey,
How possible is it to shorten the daily summary posting schedule by an hour or two. Currently in the states we receive the post about 10:00p.m. If that time could be shortened to 8:00p.m. that would be okay. At times we wait for the day’s post and retired without getting it. Please do something.
Dear Andrew — we will definitely try our best. So sorry for the delay — sometimes it is unavoidable due to Alpha’s and my schedule, or unforeseen if something pops up. But we hear you and we will try our best.
Best,
Tracey
Jose Rodriguez,
” Issa Sesay was telling the truth”
“Issa Sesay, one of the main rebel leaders is giving an accurate account of events as it unfolded in the 11 years of civil war in Sierra Leone.”
I now see that in your fantasy, Issa Sesay’s words are gospel and the RUF is such a highly reputable and an organization with the greatest integrity to such an extent that its documents are sacrosanct, sacred and beyond reproach.
If you were doing investigation or analyses for living you would have starved to death.
Morris Kanneh,
What has the reputation of the RUF got to do with the credibility of Issa Sesay’s testimony? he is testifying about the activities of the organisation he was a member of from inception and which he rose through the ranks to be come its interim leader. So far he has testified to the fact that indeed the RUF engaged in rape, torture, looting, burning of civilian population – serious crimes which he agreed was committed by the RUF so what credibility are you challenging? He is testifying about the activities that he himself engaged/participated in unlike the prosecution witnesses who were hearsay witnesses who never participated in most of the activites they testified about.
WOW!!!
I heard and saw SESAY tear the lies of the prosecution into NANO pieces today……..good job SESAY
Tracey,
Is there any reasonable cause for which my post of July 13, at 3:23pm is still pending?
Regards
Harris K Johnson
Harris — sorry for the delay. It is posted now, along with my response.
Best,
Tracey
Well people! here is what Issa Sessay said in court today: “Mr Taylor was not my boss, my boss was Mr Sankoh”. So weve heard from the proverbial horse’s mouth! what else remains to be said? this is really interesting!
Just in
Fellow bloggers, hello to all. I have been following debate on this blog and some times find it hard just how people are sending others to hell without trial. Even the law says that a man is innocent until proven guilty in a court, no matter how big or small the court is and who is funding it. From all posts that I have been reading, many of you guys sounds intelligent but i some times asked myself, why are we educated? I always thought that being educated means that you have to possess all of the good characters, and will always look at things from all angles before running down judgement. However, things are different on this blog, especially in this Charles Taylor’s trial. A hint t a wise, is quite sufficient.
Tell them, proud Liberian;
They want to see Taylor rot in jail and the keys of his cell thrown into the NILE…….
What an interesting testimony today by Issa Sessay.. I am left convincingly that this case was sponsored by big corporation with the full knowledge and support of western governments to simply demonize Taylor. The recent statements by Congressman Patrick Kennedy confirms Mr. Taylor statements that this is a western conspiracy against him.
Otherwise, why would a US Congressman goes into Liberia and tell the Liberian people this: “President Ellen Johnson has a good approach with international financial institutions.”
Kennedy further said, “The other thing they need to say is that in spite of the trial of Mr. Taylor, people might like the guy but it doesn’t means he is a good person in terms of what he represents in this politics .if he ever to make it back to the country, he will destroy the credibility of Liberia in the international community.”
So what we conclude from Kennedy statement: that it is the international financial institutions who are opposed to Taylor going back to Liberia and not the Liberian people. This other statement by Kennedy acknowledges this fact: “people might like the guy but it doesn’t means he is a good person……if he ever to make it back to the country, he will destroy the credibility of Liberia in the international community, the way they will look at his return to the country form people who know and like Liberia , the United states is a part will comment on that because right now as I said Liberia is at a very formative period and somewhat in a dedicate period in the development of its economy, so the wrong message by the people will destruct and sent a wrong message by the people here to the world at the time when everything is important”
See the full story here:
http://www.frontpageafrica.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=11099&z=2
Forgive Sen. Kennedy….he means well for Liberia but something one gets wrap up in silliness and he showed a side of him unknown to most.
My brother Dahn,
Some Liberians who hate Mr. Taylor don’t what the congressman meant. What was saying is that, it will bad for Liberia if Mr. Taylor was to returned to the country because he will surely run for the presidency and he will win and if he does, those who hate him and want to see him die in jail will take arms to fight as they did before.
Kennedy needs to focus on the oil spill rather than put his mouth in the internal affairs of Liberia. It is not his place to be speaking about an accused while the trial is going on. He should know better than to do so as this would not be allowed in the US. They however have no regards for Africans and think they can do anything, break any law with impunity.
He is not an idiot who does not know what is the right thing to say, he is however exhibiting a flaggrant disregard for the wishes of the people of Liberia. He is in effect telling the people that this is how they should behave and proceed. These are the people who are constantly drumming into the airwaves that Democracy is the way forward. Yet when it comes to other countries, the will of the people does not matter. What a twisted world we live in; a world where principles only apply when it is one group of people involved. The rules change when the powerful say it should. Disgraceful!
Good word Helen! I really do not beleive in the rhetorics of the west in terms of supporting democracy. they got what they did not bargain for in palestine when they agreed to conduct a free and fair election there. they also go what they did not bargain for when they allowed free and fair elections in Liberia because in those two instances the popular candidates won! – Charles Taylor in Liberia and Hamas in Palestine. what did the west do after realising thier mistake? they engineered they downfall of those democratically elected governements because they think they know what is best for other people instead of allowing those people to choose themselves. well they will get even a bigger shock in 2011. Because they will have to bring in americans and british people to come and vote in order for Ellen to win that election or better still they can simply conduct the election in America and Britain and announce the result to the Liberian people. Apart from that, Ellen their candidate will loose the election woefully because the Liberian people know what they want all they are asking for is TO BE LEFT ALONE. The west should STOP medlling.
“According to prosecutors, Mr. Sesay had taken these diamonds to Mr. Taylor in Liberia — an account which Mr. Sesay has denied.” .
This is from your summary Mr Sessay of open justice initiative. However, I would like you to lead me to the exact period the prosecution made this allegation with regards to Issa Sessay’s diamonds. That is, where did they claim those diamonds were intended for Mr Taylor. Please refer me to the transcript. Thanks.
Hi rgk007 — I will ask Alpha to respond to your question next week.
Best,
Tracey
Rgk007,
Actually if you listen to the totality of the prosecution case, that is the allegation they have made against Charles Taylor. It will do you a lot of good to download and read the prosecution closing arguments where they gave a summary of their case against Charles Taylor. you can download it from the transcript section of the scsl website.