Judgment Day for Bomblast and Others

Judgement in the Contempt Trial of Bangura, et. al. scheduled for Tuesday, 25 September 2012 – Judgement in the trial of three former AFRC members accused of tampering with a prosecution witness who testified at the Special Court is scheduled for Tuesday, 25 September 2012, beginning at 9:30 a.m. GMT (11:30 a.m. Hague time). (Photo: lhassan Papa Bangura aka “Bomblast. Photo credit Awareness Times)

Justice Teresa Doherty will deliver the judgement from the STL in The Hague via video link to Freetown and Kigali, Rwanda. Two of the defendants, convicted former AFRC leaders Ibrahim Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu (aka “Five-Five”), will participate from Rwanda where they are serving prison sentences for convictions by the Special Court. Alhassan Papa Bangura (aka “Bomblast) will participate from the Special Court’s Courtroom 1 in Freetown.

A fourth defendant, Samuel Kargbo (aka “Sammy Ragga”), pleaded guilty at his initial appearance last year. He subsequently testified for the prosecution.

All three each face two counts of interfering with the administration of justice by offering a bribe to a witness to recant his testimony, and by otherwise inducing a witness to recant his testimony. Kamara is charged with an additional count of knowingly revealing the name of a protected witness. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judgement is open and the media and public are invited to attend.

Journalists planning to attend in The Hague should contact Solomon Moriba at moriba@un.org.

The Special Court is an independent tribunal established jointly by the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone. It is mandated to bring to justice those who bear the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996.

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