Taylor’s nightmare

-as colleague dies in prison

Ex-president Charles Taylor may be having a nightmare at the moment in his British cell, while former Special Court prosecutors are feeling justified that they had cut him a good deal.

This appears to be so, following a horrible news of the death of Alex Tamba Brima, who was serving a 50-year sentence in Rwanda for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone – similar crimes for which Mr. Taylor is serving said terms in Britain. Taylor had opted to serve his remaining prison terms in Rwanda, a request that had been turned down.

Brima, died Thursday at the King Faisal Hospital in Kigali after a serious illness; his wife was said to be at his side, according to the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, which is responsible for the ongoing legal obligations of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Brima,commonly known as “Gullit,” was a senior leader of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council or AFRC which overthrew Sierra Leone’s civilian government in 1997. He was indicted in March 2003 by the Special Court Prosecutor for serious crimes committed against civilians during the country’s civil war.

Brima was found guilty on eleven counts, including acts of terrorism, collective punishments, extermination, murder, rape, and the use of child soldiers. He was serving his sentence at Mpanga Prison in Rwanda. Officials at the Residual Court said an inquest will be conducted soon to determine the factors surrounding his death.

By Othello B. Garblah, USA