Communicating Justice

September 8, 2008
The amputation of civilians during the war in Sierra Leone came about after the RUF failed in their Fiti-Fata mission in Kono. 38^th Prosecution Witness TF1-585, testifying with voice and facial distortion, has told the court during a direct examination by the Prosecution Counsel Mr. Mohamed Bangura that the amputation and killing of civilians by the RUF rebels was done as a means of warning to other civilians that they should keep off from the war and stop supplying the ECOMOG with information about their plans to attack.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah's report (September 8, 2008)

RUF rebels in support of military coup,
Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1997.
Photo © Associated Press

September 9, 2008
The death of the former RUF Commander Sam Bockarie alias Mosquito has again come up in the Charles Taylor trial in The Hague. This time, a female insider witness whose voice is distorted and is being interpreted has told the court that Sam Bockarie’s death together with his family was carried out by Benjamin Yeaten based on orders he received from Charles Taylor.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah's report (September 9, 2008)
 
September 10, 2008
One of the Regular Judges of the Special Court for Sierra Leone sitting in The Hague was absent from court on Wednesday. This is the first time since the resumption of the war crimes trial of Charles Taylor in January of this year that a Regular Judge is absent. Another news of illness hit the Special Court’s afternoon session and brought the court Wednesday’s sitting to a close.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah's report (September 10, 2008)

September 11, 2008
The cross-examination of the prosecution's 38^th witness touched her knowledge of her previous testimonies about 50 men she claimed Charles Taylor sent to assist the RUF with the Freetown invasion, money spent on her by the prosecution and the alleged sending of arms to Sierra Leone by Charles Taylor after the Lome Peace Accord.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah's report (September 11, 2008)

September 12, 2008
The killing of the sixty alleged Kamajors at Kailahun District in the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone was a direct order from the former RUF commander Sam Bockarie alias Mosquito. This was according to the prosecution's 39^th witness Mohamed Kabba as he testifies under direct examination led by prosecution lawyer Christopher Santora. He takes the stand at the end of the fourth week of the Charles Taylor’s trial in The Hague.
Click here to listen to Mariama K. Fornah's report (September 12, 2008)