17 April, 2008

Adolphus Williams, The Hague

Charles Taylor’s Trial in The Hague

TF1-516 said Taylor instructed RUF forces to attack the position of the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, LURD rebels in Voinjama, after they invaded Liberia in 1999.

The witness told the court, RUF Former Frontline Commander, Sam Buckarie led one batch of the RUF forces in countering Sekou Konnehs LURD.

TF1-516 said Former Special Security Service Director, Benjamin Yeaten, on a number of occasions used Taylor’s ATU helicopter to travel to the battlefront in Lofa.  Defense lawyer Morris Anyan however said that Buckarie never participated in any operations after 1999 when he crossed over to Liberia.

Prosecution lawyer Mohammed Bangura objected to Anyans line of questioning.

During all these exchanges, Taylor sat quietly. Dressed in a blue suit, white shirt with a gold tie with an eagle eyed staring through his glasses, which hung over his nose in the direction of the protection witnesses.

He scribbled on pieces of paper fashioning his wedding ring and later passed the notes over to his British-trained Ghanaian lawyer, Morris Anyan who was leading the cross examination.

Former Liberian President Moses Blah is expected to testify against Taylor this week, who replaced the late Vice President Enoch Dogolea and later became president after Taylor self-exiled himself to Nigeria.

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