Communicating Justice

November 10 and November 11, 2008
No court sessions. The Special Court gave Charles Taylor’s Defence Team the opportunity to find a replacement for Mr. Terry Munyard who temporarily withdrew from the case for reasons of professional ethics.

November 12, 2008
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is now hearing the testimony of an Insider Witness, allegedly captured and trained by Liberian armed men in 1991 in the Pujehun District. The RUF Former Strike Force Commander also testified to the killing of civilians in order to stop them voting in the 1996 government planned election in Sierra Leone. The witness also testified to the RUF attack on a Sierra Leonean Company named Sierra Rutile.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah’s full report (November 12, 2008)

A Liberian rebel child soldier,
Monrovia, Liberia, January 2004.
Photo © BBC Archives.

November 13, 2008
On direct examination, Mr. Augustine Mallah the Prosecution's 82^nd witness told the Judges that the RUF recruited children as young as 10 and 11 years of age. He claimed the captured children were trained and given arms. Prosecution Lawyer, Brenda Hollis also asked the witness about the function of the Small Boys Unit in the RUF.

November 14, 2008
According to the 82^nd Prosecution witness Augustine Mallah, there was constant communication between Foday Sankoh and Charles Taylor during the war. The witness said he was always present when the accused Mr. Taylor and the former RAF leader Mr. Sankoh spoke via radio communication. Nevertheless, this claim was challenged by Defence lawyer Morris Anyah who said that there were inconsistencies in the witness’ statements.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah’s full report (November 14, 2008)