Prince Lawrence Taylor, a local Investigator formerly attached to the Charles Taylor’s Defence Team is presently standing trial on nine (9) counts charge of contempt of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Prince is alleged to have interfered with four prosecution witnesses, who testified in the Charles Taylor Trial, and that he also interfered with a fifth person who was about to give evidence in contempt proceedings.
Prince Taylor, a Sierra Leonean and not related to Charles Taylor, whose case is on appeal before the Special Court, was charged on evidence given by Eric Koi Senessie at his sentencing hearing, and from subsequent investigations.
Senessie was convicted in June 2012 on eight counts of Contempt of Court.
Justice Theresa Doherty of the Special Court on 4th October found that the evidence presented by the Independent Counsel was sufficient to support a case against Prince Taylor pursuant to Rule 77 of Procedures and Evidence, and issued an Order in lieu of an indictment charging him with nine counts of contempt.
Four Counts (1, 3, 5 and 6) alleged that Prince Taylor offered a bribe to a witness to repudiate testimony given before the Court, and another four counts (2, 4, 7 and 8) alleged that he otherwise interfered with a witness to recant testimony.
Furthermore, count 9, alleged that Prince Taylor interfered with a witness about to give evidence in proceedings before a Chamber by “instructing and otherwise persuading Eric Senessie ,to give false information to the Independent Counsel appointed by the Registrar on the orders of Trial Chamber II”
Prince, who ceased working for the Special Court at the end of 2010, was arrested in Bo by the Sierra Leone Police acting on a warrant, issued by the court as provided under the Special Court Agreement of 2002.
In his initial appearance yesterday before the Trial Chamber, dressed in a lacoste shirt embroidered in multiple stripes with both hands placed on his back, Prince pleaded not guilty to all nine counts charged against him by the Special Court.
He was represented by the Principal Defender, Lawyer Fatmata Hanciles in the absence of his head of Defence Counsel Rodney Dixon who is presently in London and likely due to appear on the adjourned date: 10th October , 2012 at 2:00 pm.
By Poindexter Sama