The special court for Sierra Leone has finally caused a subpoena to be served on former President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah to testify on the 15th May in defence of the first accused Issa Sesay of the defunct Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
The subpoena was served on him last Wednesday 30th April.
The evidence of the former President is to establish the fact that the accused did not order an attack or coordinate attacks against UNAMSIL troops.
The trial chamber had earlier ruled in favour of the defence stating that “the application by counsel for the first accused for the issuance of a subpoena to H.E. Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, the former president of the Republic of Sierra Leone, for a pre-testimony interview and for testimony at this trial and so orders that the former President should testify if called as defence witness on Thursday 24th April this year.” The trial chamber also revealed that the application by the defence counsel meets the required legal standard for the issuance of a subpoena which was given by the Appeals Chamber on 11th September 2006 refusing to grant a subpoena in the case of the Late Hinga Norman requesting then President Tejan Kabbah to testify on his behalf which was refused him.
The defence team which filed the subpoena 29th February had argued that “Kabbah has full knowledge of the innocence of Issa Sesay in this regard – he has refused to cooperate and ought to in the interest of justice be compelled.”
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