As the case of the three former leaders of the Revolutionary United Front draws to a close, both prosecution and defence teams yesterday started their closing arguments at the UN-backed Special Court.
In their arguments before the Trial Chamber, the prosecution submitted that the three accused Issa Sesay, Morris Kallon and Augustine Gbao were aware of the indictment and that was why they took part in the process, adding that they knew the indictment was valid and approved by the Trial Chamber.
Defence counsel for first accused Issa Sesay said there was a degree of discomforting fear because of the way the prosecution had approached the “degree of defects.”
He said the accused was not aware of changes on the indictment and there was no authority hence did not know the case not had the time to prepare his defence.
On the use of insider witnesses used by the prosecution, the defence counsel said the case was “twisted” against the accused because most of the witnesses used were colleagues who were in the fight together with him.
He said civilians were not ready to talk against Issa Sesay therefore the prosecution decided “let’s go to his colleagues and friends and build our case.”
Lawyer Jordash said the insider witnesses kept on changing their stories back and forth and when it came to document the story they would be told differently.
The defence team for the second and third accused will submit their closing arguments tomorrow and will seek to prove the innocence of their clients.
By Betty Milton
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