Communicating Justice

The Hague, January 9, 2008 -- The war crimes trial of Former Liberian President, Charles Taylor is due to resume on Monday January 12 at the Special Court for Sierra Leone sitting in The Hague.

The trial of the Former Liberian leader formally started on January 7, 2008, after several hitches including the dismissal of his first Defence Lawyer, and the recruitment of a new Defence Team.

The trial of Mr. Taylor who is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity adjourned on December 11, 2008 for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The resumption will see the continuation of prosecution witnesses testifying against the former Liberian president.

The prosecution of the Special Court for Sierra Leone has already produced 84 witnesses against Mr. Taylor.

The witnesses testifying against the indicted former Liberian leader are categorised as Insider, Linkage, Crime Base and Expert.

According to the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Stephen Rapp, the prosecution has seven more witnesses to put on the stand.

Mr. Taylor is accused of supporting the Sierra Leonean rebel group, Revolutionary United Front, RUF who allegedly amputated, raped and killed thousands of their country men.

Several Liberians and Sierra Leoneans have already testified that Mr. Taylor sponsored the rebel group with fighters, money, arms, ammunition and food in exchange for diamonds.

The legal team defending the former Liberian President has persistently denied that their client had any link with the atrocities committed in Sierra Leone.

Mr. Taylor is the first African Head of State to be put on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity which include sexual slavery and recruitment of child soldiers.