Model to appear at Taylor trial
Source: Agencies |
July 2, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SUPERMODEL Naomi Campbell, who has been avoiding international prosecutors for the past year, will be forced to appear on the witness stand in the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor.
In a ruling published yesterday, judges of the Special Court for Sierra Leone ordered a subpoena served on Campbell and if necessary to enlist the help of law enforcement agencies wherever she is found to make sure she gets to court.
The appearance of Campbell, as well as of actress Mia Farrow and the model's former agent Carole White, who do not appear to have resisted testifying, will add a touch of glitz to a case already seen as a landmark, the first time a former African head of state has been put on trial by an international court.
Prosecutors complained to judges that they had tried unsuccessfully to contact Campbell several times since June 2009, when they received information that Taylor had given her a rough diamond as a gift during a celebrity-packed 1997 reception in South Africa hosted by then-President Nelson Mandela.
They said Campbell's testimony would support their contention that Taylor lied when he testified that he never possessed rough diamonds.
"The prosecution has shown that there is at least a good chance that the information to be provided by Ms Campbell would be of material assistance to its case," said the ruling on Wednesday.
It cited Campbell's public statements that she "does not want to be involved in the case."
It did not say when the trio would be asked to appear, but it wouldn't be until the defense finishes calling its witnesses, probably next month.
Taylor is accused of supporting rebels in Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, which claimed 500,000 victims of killings, systematic mutilation or other atrocities.
His trial is being held in The Hague, the Netherlands, for fear of renewed violence if hearings were conducted in Sierra Leone. After several false starts, it began in earnest in January 2008. Taylor's own testimony took seven months.
Defense attorneys objected to the request to summon Campbell, arguing that the prosecution had concluded its case 18 months ago and that Campbell's story is irrelevant since she cannot testify to any connection between the diamond and Taylor's alleged involvement with Sierra Leone rebels.
In a ruling published yesterday, judges of the Special Court for Sierra Leone ordered a subpoena served on Campbell and if necessary to enlist the help of law enforcement agencies wherever she is found to make sure she gets to court.
The appearance of Campbell, as well as of actress Mia Farrow and the model's former agent Carole White, who do not appear to have resisted testifying, will add a touch of glitz to a case already seen as a landmark, the first time a former African head of state has been put on trial by an international court.
Prosecutors complained to judges that they had tried unsuccessfully to contact Campbell several times since June 2009, when they received information that Taylor had given her a rough diamond as a gift during a celebrity-packed 1997 reception in South Africa hosted by then-President Nelson Mandela.
They said Campbell's testimony would support their contention that Taylor lied when he testified that he never possessed rough diamonds.
"The prosecution has shown that there is at least a good chance that the information to be provided by Ms Campbell would be of material assistance to its case," said the ruling on Wednesday.
It cited Campbell's public statements that she "does not want to be involved in the case."
It did not say when the trio would be asked to appear, but it wouldn't be until the defense finishes calling its witnesses, probably next month.
Taylor is accused of supporting rebels in Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, which claimed 500,000 victims of killings, systematic mutilation or other atrocities.
His trial is being held in The Hague, the Netherlands, for fear of renewed violence if hearings were conducted in Sierra Leone. After several false starts, it began in earnest in January 2008. Taylor's own testimony took seven months.
Defense attorneys objected to the request to summon Campbell, arguing that the prosecution had concluded its case 18 months ago and that Campbell's story is irrelevant since she cannot testify to any connection between the diamond and Taylor's alleged involvement with Sierra Leone rebels.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
