Man butchered for resembling ex-leader

A witness at Charles Taylor’s trail has alleged his brother was butchered because he resembled the former Liberian head of state Samuel Doe. Patrick Sheriff the 50th witness in the ongoing trial recounted how his brother was severely butchered in Sierra Leone for no apparent reason at all.Sheriff told the court that he has seen the worst atrocities in the Sierra Leone civil conflict which was committed by a commander called ‘Peleto’ alias ‘Friday’ because he normally went on killing spree on every. Sheriff said his brother was killed and later his fingers were chopped off because he looks like Doe.

Recalling his experience with the rebels Sheriff said ‘Friday’ ordered Mr. Kai who was reading a Bible to put the holy book down and stand up. ‘’Friday later shot Kai and indiscriminately killed other civilians in that town on a Friday’’ Sheriff testified.

Sheriff told the court during cross examination by defense lawyer Terry Munyard earlier that the rebels he saw were Liberians English speaking men dressed in military uniform with inscription ‘’RUF’. Sheriff insisted that the rebels who attacked Waterloo, during the invasion of Freetown were ‘‘purely Liberian rebels’’. He said the rebels gave him 150 lashes and he was part of a group that constituted the burial of over 150 civilians after the ECOWAS peacekeeping force (ECOMOG) liberate that area.

Taylor is standing trial at the Special court for Sierra Leone for alleged backing of one of Africa’s most feared rebel group’s the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). He is the first former African head of state to be tried by an international court. His charges include various crimes ranging from war crimes and crimes against humanity. Taylor’s trial was relocated to the Hague citing security reason in the region. His son Charles ‘Chuckie’ Taylor is also standing trial in the US for torturing and killing civilians during his reign as head of the Anti-terrorist Unit which was set up by his father.

The Special Court for Sierra Leone came into existence after agreements between the United Nations and the government of Sierra Leone. The court has tried leaders of various armed group for bearing the greatest responsibilities in the country’s 11 year civil conflict. Over 17,000 people were killed in the Sierra Leone conflict and many women were also used as sex slaves and dozens of others arms were chopped off.