The trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity said to have been committed in neighboring Sierra Leone, was to resume on August 20, but this may most likely not go on as planned.

	• Ex- Pres. Charles Taylor

A new variable has been introduced this time around; with the new defense team of Taylor calling for the postponement of the trial so that they may be have adequate time to study their client’s case.

If the motion is accepted at the August 20 Status conference, it may mean that the timetable already set by the Special Court for the trail will lapse beyond the two year period, without making any essential progress beyond the preliminary appearances for guilty or not guilty oath taking.

By January 7, 2008, the anticipated new trial date chosen by the defense team instead of fast approaching August 20, 2007 when the trial should have commenced.

Mr. Taylor’s lawyers in a communication via weblink from Faatimah Hendricks, and posted on 14 August 2007, is herein detailed by highlighting the key points of the defense team’s contentions and what the new development may have on the life of the trials.

The special court,  trying the former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, will next week consider an application by defense lawyers to postpone the trial until January next year.

According to the website established to cover the entire proceedings for the benefits of Sierra Leonean and Liberians, the Special Court for Sierra Leone announced in The Hague, in the Netherlands, that the trial would not proceed on August 20 as originally scheduled. Instead, the court says that it will conduct a “status conference” to determine the length of the delay.

The determination of the length of delay is basically under the control of the court but requires that it is first discussed, as seen in the status conference to which all parties’ litigants form a part.

In a motion posted on the website, Taylor’s new defense team asked that the trial be postponed until January 7 to allow “adequate time and facilities for the preparation of [Taylor's] defence, as required by Article 17 of the Statute of the Special Court of Sierra Leone.” 

The motion did not show why the length of adequate time and facilities had to be stretched to 2008 but it is believed that these lawyers may need more time to look at the numerous volumes of evidence already provided by the prosecution team against the former Liberian leader.

In its response, the prosecution said it was ready to begin leading evidence, but agreed that the defense team’s reason for asking for a delay was justified. However, it left the duration of the delay in the court’s discretion.

But by this agreement, the prosecution sided with the Mr. Taylor team that postponement was necessary, especially in the aftermath of Taylor’s sacking of the ex-British defense counsel, Karim Khan, on the basis of what became known as his indigence to secure lawyers for an effective defense of his interest

Taylor is accused of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes, including mutilations, murder, sexual slavery, sexual violence, recruiting and using child soldiers, abduction and using forced labor.

Taylor’s apparent escape from Nigeria, where he had taken asylum with that government eventually brought him under custody of the Sierra Leone Special Court.

It can be recalled that the former Liberian leader is accused by many international organizations that he greatly assisted the revolutionary united front, rebels to carry on their war of amputation of children and people’s limbs throughout the conflict.

The Sierra Leonean war was seen as a very deadly conflict on the continent for which he has now been indicted and is facing an eleven count  charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and violation of international humanitarian law amongst others.