Confirmada condenação de Charles Taylor

Monrovia — Public reaction to the Special Court for Sierra Leone Appeals Chamber decision unanimously upholding the conviction of former Liberian President Charles Taylor on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and affirming the 50- year sentence imposed by the court's Trial Chamber has been mixed in Monrovia. Some Liberians described the final decision as sad because it puts behind bars a former President of Liberia. "The final verdict is saddening for me as a Liberian; to see that my former president going to languish in jail for 50 years. I am very sad. ' "Today is a sad day for me. This is the first African president to go in jail for that long," said Joemah Y. Kollie, a resident of Monrovia. Christopher S. Doe another Liberian expressed disappointment over the verdict adding that the Taylor issue is a political one solely done to keep him out of Liberia. "My ex-president left my country with our present president knowing about it. And she is happy and going to show her supremacy." he said. Liberian gathered before television screens across the city watching the Judge of the Special Court as he read the verdict, though many did not expect any considerable difference from the previous verdict handed down by the court, they could not come to accept that the fact that a former president of Liberia could spend lifetime in jail in a foreign land and not for crimes committed in Liberia. "It is highly discouraging for the court to come with such verdict on our ex-president," said Darlington S. Wiles. Court's ruling On 26 April 2012, the Trial Chamber found Taylor guilty of aiding and abetting crimes committed by RUF and AFRC rebel forces against Sierra Leones civilian population over a five-year period, and of planning, with RUF Battlefield Commander Sam Bockarie, crimes committed by rebel forces during the January 1999 attack on Freetown. The Defense and the Prosecution had each appealed both judgment and sentence. The Appeals Chamber, consisting of Justice George Gelaga King (presiding), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, Justice Renate Winter, Justice Jon Kamanda, Justice Shireen Avis Fisher and Alternate Judge Justice Philip Waki, found that the Trial Chamber had properly applied the standard of proof of beyond a reasonable doubt according to a release issued by the special court. The Judges also dismissed Defense challenges to findings of fact, saying that the findings were reasonable in light of the Trial Chamber's careful and cautious approach to the evaluation of the evidence. The Judges said the Trial Chamber had relied on a combination of direct, circumstantial and hearsay evidence in reaching its findings, and that none of its findings were based on uncorroborated hearsay evidence, said the court. The Trial Chamber also found that Mr. Taylor had supplied the rebels with arms and ammunition, military personnel, sustained operational support, encouragement and moral support, knowing that their strategy was to commit crimes against the civilian population. The Appeals Chamber concurred, saying that Mr. Taylor had a substantial effect on the rebels' capacity to implement its operational strategy and to carry out attacks on civilians. Allafrica.com