On Monday, the cross examination of DC-008 continued with the witness denying that the NPFL had a Small Boys Unit (SBU) during Liberia’s civil war. The Prosecution have alleged that a combat unit existed consisting of conscripted children, and that these children were used to man checkpoints, serve as bodyguards to NPFL commanders, and serve on the front lines. The Prosecution allege that this practice was then replicated by the RUF in Sierra Leone under Mr. Taylor’s control. Brenda Hollis put it to the witness that it is true that the NPFL did indeed have a unit called SBU and that these SBUs were used at checkpoints. DCT-008 denied both these allegations reminding the court that “my testimony is that the NPFL did not have any unit called the SBU. The SBU was the name given to those young boys who were with their big brothers and sisters, but they were not part of the NPFL”.
Ms. Hollis read statements from Yanks Smythe, a Gambian member of the NPFL and later Liberian ambassador to Libya and Tunisia and John T. Richardson, a former National Security adviser to Mr. Taylor. Mr. Smythe is quoted saying that the SBUs were underaged but part of the NPFL rank. Similarly extracts of Mr. Richardson 1994 news interview were read to the court. Mr. Richardson said the NPFL used children to fight for their own protection. DCT-008 insisted that he was not aware of that.
Tuesday saw the conclusion of DCT-008′s cross-examination and the prosecution disputing the nature of disarmament, Mr. Taylor’s use of militias and the nature of the relationship between Sam Bockarie and Benjamin Yeaten. Prosecutors alleged that the NPFL did not give in all their weapons during the disarmament and that these weapons were then given to the RUF rebels to use in Sierra Leone. This version of events was put to the witness. But DCT-008 was adamant that the NPFL turned in all their weapons to ECOMOG peacekeepers.
“I know that the NPFL disarmed. Even myself, I disarmed to ECOMOG…To my knowledge, the NPFL turned over every weapon it was not a joke, it was real”. Ms. Hollis then referenced a news article that quoted former Defense Minister Daniel Chea which described the disarmament process as a fiasco. The witness replied saying, I believe that the NPFL fully disarmed to the peacekeepers so if he went on to say it was a fiasco, that was his opinion…But what I know is that the disarmament went on very well, that is why we had elections.
The prosecution also suggested that Mr. Taylor relied on private militias because he did not trust the AFL. However, DCT-008 told the court that Mr. Taylor relied on the national security of the Republic of Liberia, and Mr. Taylor to my knowledge never controlled any militia from the Executive Mansion. Ms. Hollis again quoted Mr. Chea, who in the same interview said, Mr. Taylor had his own suspicions of the army, and he transferred most of the duties of the army to his own militias. I thought that was a mistake. Ms. Hollis then asked who will be in a better position to know about Charles Taylor’s militia, you or Mr. Chea? The witness replied “to my knowledge, the president did not control militia group or militia from the Executive Mansion”.
The witness also continued to insist that Mr. Taylor did not have any relationship with the RUF, but Mr. Yeaten was secretly involved with the RUF. As such DCT-008 denied suggestions that Jungle, Samson, Mr. Yeaten and others were members of the SSS carrying out security duties in relation to the rebels in Sierra Leone…at the instance of Charles Taylor stating that they did this at the instance of Benjamin Yeaten and Mr. Taylor did not know about this.
The witness spoke extensively about radio communications that took place between Mr.Yeaten’s radio communications set in Liberia and those of RUF radio stations in Sierra Leone. When Ms. Hollis asked him whether there were no loyal radio operators who could have monitored these communications and made them known to Mr. Taylor, the witness said that such a thing never happened. And your story is that Benjamin Yeaten was able to do this without Mr. Taylor or anybody loyal to him knowing about it? Ms. Hollis questioned the witness. “I said this happened without Mr. Taylor’s knowledge” the witness responded.
During the morning session, the judges also issued their oral decision on the pending defence motion. Justice Julia Sebutinde ordered that the Chamber dismiss Part A of the defence application relating to the statement made by DCT-097 to Global Witness, and grants Part B of the motion regarding the payments that were made to the witness by prosecutors. The prosecution was thus ordered to disclose to the defence:
a. All payments/benefits to DCT-097.
b. All documents relating to the payments.
c. Provide explanation for such payments.
On Wednesday DCT-008 concluded his evidence, and potentially the defence’s evidence as a whole. The day’s testimony was spent clarifying issues that had arisen during the witness’ cross examination. The witness clarified matters in relation to the use of various floors of the Executive Mansion in Liberia during Mr. Taylor’s presidency and the use of the word principal in radio communications. The witness explain what he knew of the 8th floor, the floor which the prosecution had alleged Mr Taylor and other had used to co-ordinate with the RUF. DCT- 008 said “on the 8th floor, that was where the presidents, starting from Tolbert to Doe, they had their residence there but during the war, we were told that the place was ransacked and all the things that were there were looted by ECOMOG”.
The witness told the Special Court of Sierra Leone that he never heard that president Taylor resided on the 8th floor. The witness continued, explaining, that the 7th floor housed radio equipment, whilst the 6th floor was used as the presidential kitchen. The witness also said that he had never heard of the SSS using the 5th floor for radio communication.
The witness addressed the use of principal and master by radio operators, explaining that if the term principal is used, anybody who had been listening on the Government of Liberia side will know that there is an operator on the Liberian side and the Sierra Leone side as Liberian operators used the term master. As the witness concluded his testimony, Terry Munyard, for the Defence, asked the court for a status conference on Monday as the team hoped to receive instruction from Mr. Taylor before proceeding any further with the trial. Mr. Munyard concluded by saying at the moment, we are not anticipating calling any further live evidence, should that change, we will let the parties know.
DCT-008 cross examination continued on Monday with the witness denying that the NPFL had a Small Boys Unit (SBU) during Liberia’s civil war. The Prosecution have alleged that a combat unit existed consisting of conscripted children, and that these children were used to man checkpoints, serve as bodyguards to NPFL commanders, and serve on the front lines. The Prosecution allege that this practice was then replicated by the RUF in Sierra Leone under Mr. Taylor’s control. Brenda Hollis put it to the witness that it is true that the NPFL did indeed have a unit called SBU and that these SBUs were used at checkpoints. DCT-008 denied both these allegations reminding the court that “my testimony is that the NPFL did not have any unit called the SBU. The SBU was the name given to those young boys who were with their big brothers and sisters, but they were not part of the NPFL”.
Ms. Hollis read statements from Yanks Smythe, a Gambian member of the NPFL and later Liberian ambassador to Libya and Tunisia and John T. Richardson, a former National Security adviser to Mr. Taylor. Mr. Smythe is quoted saying that the SBUs were underaged but part of the NPFL rank. Similarly extracts of Mr. Richardson 1994 news interview were read to the court. Mr. Richardson said the NPFL used children to fight for their own protection. DCT-008 insisted that he was not aware of that.
Tuesday saw the conclusion of DCT-008′s cross-examination and the prosecution disputing the nature of disarmament, Mr. Taylor’s use of militias and the nature of the relationship between Sam Bockarie and Benjamin Yeaten. Prosecutors alleged that the NPFL did not give in all their weapons during the disarmament and that these weapons were then given to the RUF rebels to use in Sierra Leone. This version of events was put to the witness. But DCT-008 was adamant that the NPFL turned in all their weapons to ECOMOG peacekeepers.
“I know that the NPFL disarmed. Even myself, I disarmed to ECOMOG…To my knowledge, the NPFL turned over every weapon it was not a joke, it was real”. Ms. Hollis then referenced a news article that quoted former Defense Minister Daniel Chea which described the disarmament process as a fiasco. The witness replied saying, I believe that the NPFL fully disarmed to the peacekeepers so if he went on to say it was a fiasco, that was his opinion…But what I know is that the disarmament went on very well, that is why we had elections.
The prosecution also suggested that Mr. Taylor relied on private militias because he did not trust the AFL. However, DCT-008 told the court that Mr. Taylor relied on the national security of the Republic of Liberia, and Mr. Taylor to my knowledge never controlled any militia from the Executive Mansion. Ms. Hollis again quoted Mr. Chea, who in the same interview said, Mr. Taylor had his own suspicions of the army, and he transferred most of the duties of the army to his own militias. I thought that was a mistake. Ms. Hollis then asked who will be in a better position to know about Charles Taylor’s militia, you or Mr. Chea? The witness replied “to my knowledge, the president did not control militia group or militia from the Executive Mansion”.
The witness also continued to insist that Mr. Taylor did not have any relationship with the RUF, but Mr. Yeaten was secretly involved with the RUF. As such DCT-008 denied suggestions that Jungle, Samson, Mr. Yeaten and others were members of the SSS carrying out security duties in relation to the rebels in Sierra Leone…at the instance of Charles Taylor stating that they did this at the instance of Benjamin Yeaten and Mr. Taylor did not know about this.
The witness spoke extensively about radio communications that took place between Mr.Yeaten’s radio communications set in Liberia and those of RUF radio stations in Sierra Leone. When Ms. Hollis asked him whether there were no loyal radio operators who could have monitored these communications and made them known to Mr. Taylor, the witness said that such a thing never happened. And your story is that Benjamin Yeaten was able to do this without Mr. Taylor or anybody loyal to him knowing about it? Ms. Hollis questioned the witness. “I said this happened without Mr. Taylor’s knowledge” the witness responded.
During the morning session, the judges also issued their oral decision on the pending defence motion. Justice Julia Sebutinde ordered that the Chamber dismiss Part A of the defence application relating to the statement made by DCT-097 to Global Witness, and grants Part B of the motion regarding the payments that were made to the witness by prosecutors. The prosecution was thus ordered to disclose to the defence:
a. All payments/benefits to DCT-097.
b. All documents relating to the payments.
c. Provide explanation for such payments.
On Wednesday DCT-008 concluded his evidence, and potentially the defence’s evidence as a whole. The day’s testimony was spent clarifying issues that had arisen during the witness’ cross examination. The witness clarified matters in relation to the use of various floors of the Executive Mansion in Liberia during Mr. Taylor’s presidency and the use of the word principal in radio communications. The witness explain what he knew of the 8th floor, the floor which the prosecution had alleged Mr Taylor and other had used to co-ordinate with the RUF. DCT- 008 said “on the 8th floor, that was where the presidents, starting from Tolbert to Doe, they had their residence there but during the war, we were told that the place was ransacked and all the things that were there were looted by ECOMOG”.
The witness told the Special Court of Sierra Leone that he never heard that president Taylor resided on the 8th floor. The witness continued, explaining, that the 7th floor housed radio equipment, whilst the 6th floor was used as the presidential kitchen. The witness also said that he had never heard of the SSS using the 5th floor for radio communication.
The witness addressed the use of principal and master by radio operators, explaining that if the term principal is used, anybody who had been listening on the Government of Liberia side will know that there is an operator on the Liberian side and the Sierra Leone side as Liberian operators used the term master. As the witness concluded his testimony, Terry Munyard, for the Defence, asked the court for a status conference on Monday as the team hoped to receive instruction from Mr. Taylor before proceeding any further with the trial. Mr. Munyard concluded by saying at the moment, we are not anticipating calling any further live evidence, should that change, we will let the parties know.
