LIBERIA - SIERRA LEONE
Trial of Charles Taylor delayed
Monday, August 20, 2007
Judges postponed until January 2008 the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor after his defence asked for more time to prepare. Taylor is accused of directing atrocities in Sierra Leone.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Trial of Liberia's Taylor delayed until Jan '08
By Reuters
THE HAGUE, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Judges on Monday postponed
until January 2008 the war crimes trial of former Liberian
President Charles Taylor on charges of directing atrocities in
Sierra Leone after his defence asked for more time to prepare.
Taylor, accused of instigating murder, rape and mutilation
in a quest for diamonds during the West African country's civil
war, boycotted the opening of his trial in June in a dispute
over the resources allocated his defence, prompting weeks of
legal wrangling and repeated delays.
More funds were eventually made available to Taylor with
which a new defence team was appointed last month. The team
requested a delay until next January to prepare their case.
"In the chamber's view the period of four months is indeed a
reasonable time ... to grapple with a complicated case," said
Judge Julia Sebutinde, who noted the prosecution had not opposed
the request for more time.
Taylor's chief defence counsel Courtenay Griffiths said: "We
are anxious to get on with this trial. We appreciate the accused
has spent a considerable amount of time in custody and we
appreciate that there are other pressures on this court.
"Time allowed now will help reduce the length of the trial
in due course and save money," he added.
Judges agreed and granted the four-month postponement the
defence had requested.
Taylor attended the hearing, wearing a smart double-breasted
grey suit with gold cufflinks. During proceedings he listened
attentively and took notes.
Griffiths said there were some 40,000 pages of material
submitted by prosecutors to be examined, and a further 50,000
pages of material from Taylor's personal archives had surfaced
in Monrovia which could be crucial to the case.
The Special Court was set up with United Nations backing to
try some of those deemed most culpable for crimes against
humanity in Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 war.
Drugged up rebels and militia fighters, often only children
themselves, killed, raped and maimed men, women and children.
Taylor's trial is being held in The Hague because of fears
it could spur instability if held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. On
Saturday, the country held its first elections since the
departure of U.N. peacekeepers two years ago.
The trial will resume on Jan. 7, 2008.
until January 2008 the war crimes trial of former Liberian
President Charles Taylor on charges of directing atrocities in
Sierra Leone after his defence asked for more time to prepare.
Taylor, accused of instigating murder, rape and mutilation
in a quest for diamonds during the West African country's civil
war, boycotted the opening of his trial in June in a dispute
over the resources allocated his defence, prompting weeks of
legal wrangling and repeated delays.
More funds were eventually made available to Taylor with
which a new defence team was appointed last month. The team
requested a delay until next January to prepare their case.
"In the chamber's view the period of four months is indeed a
reasonable time ... to grapple with a complicated case," said
Judge Julia Sebutinde, who noted the prosecution had not opposed
the request for more time.
Taylor's chief defence counsel Courtenay Griffiths said: "We
are anxious to get on with this trial. We appreciate the accused
has spent a considerable amount of time in custody and we
appreciate that there are other pressures on this court.
"Time allowed now will help reduce the length of the trial
in due course and save money," he added.
Judges agreed and granted the four-month postponement the
defence had requested.
Taylor attended the hearing, wearing a smart double-breasted
grey suit with gold cufflinks. During proceedings he listened
attentively and took notes.
Griffiths said there were some 40,000 pages of material
submitted by prosecutors to be examined, and a further 50,000
pages of material from Taylor's personal archives had surfaced
in Monrovia which could be crucial to the case.
The Special Court was set up with United Nations backing to
try some of those deemed most culpable for crimes against
humanity in Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 war.
Drugged up rebels and militia fighters, often only children
themselves, killed, raped and maimed men, women and children.
Taylor's trial is being held in The Hague because of fears
it could spur instability if held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. On
Saturday, the country held its first elections since the
departure of U.N. peacekeepers two years ago.
The trial will resume on Jan. 7, 2008.
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