Local
Special Court to Deliver AFRC Verdict on June 20.
By SLCMP
Jun 19, 2007 - 9:15:36 AM

Trial Chamber II of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) presided over by Justice Julia Sebutinde with Richard Lussick and Theresa Doherty being the other Justices will on Wednesday 20^th June 2007 at 11:00 am, deliver judgment in the case between the Prosecutor against Alex Tamba Brima, aka Gullit, Brima Bazzy Kamara aka Ibrahim Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu, aka 55, First, Second and Third Accused respectively of the Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC).

The accused, who are alleged leaders of the former AFRC were separately indicted on 17 counts of alleged commission of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law contrary to Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). The initial counts which ranged from acts of terrorism, collective punishments, extermination, murder, violence to physical well-being of persons, rape and other sexual violence including sexual slavery to conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 were later amended to 14 counts. Following the order of the Chamber on the 28^th February, 2004 for the joint trial of all three Accused persons, the Prosecutor issued a consolidated indictment on the 5^th of March, 2004 .

The First Accused, Alex Tamba Brima, aka Tamba Alex Brima/Gullit, was indicted on the 7^th of March 2003 and subsequently arrested and taken into the court’s custody on the 10^th of March of the same. At a temporary Court house at Bonthe Island , he made his initial appearance and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He is represented by Mr. Kojo Graham.

The Second Accused, Brima Bazzy Kamara, aka Ibrahim Bazzy Kamara/Alhaji Ibrahim Kamara, was indicted on the 28 of May, 2003. Following his subsequent arrest, he made his initial appearance before Justice Pierre Boutet at a temporary Court house in Bonthe on the 4^th of June 2003 . During that appearance, he pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He is being represented by Mr. Andrew William Kodwo Daniels.

The Third Accused, Santigie Borbor Kanu, aka 55/Santigie Khanu/Santigie Kanu/S.B Kanu/Santigie Bobson Kanu/Borbor Santigie Kanu was indicted on the 16^th of September 2003 . However, prior to his indictment, Kanu was under the custody of the Sierra Leonean Authority awaiting trials on allegation of his involvement in an attack on a military warehouse in Freetown in January 2003. He was subsequently transferred to the custody of the SCSL where he made his initial appearance on the 23^rd of September 2003 , before Justice Pierre Boutet at the temporary Court house in Freetown . He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He is being represented by Prof. Geert-Jan Alexander Knoops.

The prosecution on the 7^th March, 2005 began its case against each Accused person and concluded on 21^st November of that same year. The Defence opened its case on the 6^th of June 2006 and finished on the 26^th of October 2006 . Pursuant to Rule 86 of the Court’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence (The Rules), the closure of the Defence case was followed by closing arguments from both the parties on the 7^th and 8^th of December 2006.

In pursuant to Rule 88, the judgments, accompanied with reasons, shall be pronounced in public. These judgments are however not binding as a party may appeal to the Appeals Chamber pursuant to Article 20 of the Court’s Statute. In this situation, pursuant to Rule 108, a Party seeking to appeal a judgment should file to the Registrar and other Parties a notice of appeal 14 days from the receipt of the judgment of which they seeks an appeal.