The transcripts of the trial of Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia. More…
The reason why we understand a Liberian whilst they speak, because when the Liberian speaks the Krio they will say "meh, meh", they will also say "meh". So when that happens you are quick to understand that this person indeed is a Liberian.
Yes. I used to go to Kono during the 1988/89, I used to go to Kono and spend time there in Koidu Town.
Since 1992. Since 1992 up to the time I got this problem.
In Freetown at that time there were so many Liberians who had escaped from Liberia. They were many in Freetown.
During the time they were in Freetown some used to try and manage to talk our Krio, but even at that, when they spoke, you would know that they were from there.
For quite a long period of time because at the start of the war so many refugees escaped and came to Freetown, since 2002.
We did not live together in the same home, like I said. But we lived in the same town, in the same Freetown, in the same areas, but not in the same home.
I wouldn't deny that.
Yes.
Well, yes.
I have seen it.
Well, I do not know how much money they paid at the hospitals. Even before we came here we went for medical examination to three different locations, but I don't know how much they paid because they did not give it to me directly to be paid.
No, it's not up to that.
The allowances that they gave to me? Is that what you mean?
Yes, I see it.
That I wouldn't tell. I cannot actually tell the amount of money now, because if you look at it, the transportation and what they used to give me, I cannot actually check that now.
For each day I was there you mean?
At the times I used to go to court, for the two or three days that I would go to court they would give me some allowance.
Well, I wouldn't deny that because even in the case of the transportation for me to come here, if you put all of those monies together, and if they said they have spent up to that amount I would not deny that.
That has been spent on me?
That has been given to me?
No, I don't know.
Yes, they gave me money at the time I was with them, the time I was spending with them. Sometimes for two or three days when I was there with them, spending time with them, on my return they would give me some money for the times I spent with ...
At any time I paid my own transportation fare to go there on my return they would reimburse me.
To go to the hospital? No.
Money?
Well, at the time I went to testify they took me to the hospital and they gave me some treatment there.
They gave me transport fare.
No.
They never used to give me money when I testified.
No, because since then I have not been able to get money to continue with my business.
I was doing petty business initially when I had not got this problem.
I'm not working.
The rebels that I understood came were Sierra Leonean soldiers and Liberian rebels.
Well, I did not understand that. All I knew was that rebels entered Freetown. I did not know which type of rebels. That is what I know, that rebels came into Freetown, but I did not know what type of people.
I would like you to go over that question again.
Most of them were there.
Yes, they were there.
Yes, yes. They were there as ECOMOG.
