COURT INTERIOR; PUBLIC IN COURT, DEFENDANT LEAVING COURT; DEFENDANT AND GUARD INTO CAR.




Initials GHB/VS/BHH/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE TRIAL CONTINUED LAST THURSDAY (JUNE 13) OF ONE OF LIBERIA'S LEADING DIPLOMATS ON CHARGES OF TREASON.

THE DEFENDANT IN THE CASE IS LIBERIA'S FORMER AMBASSADOR TO TANZANIA, KENYA AND SIERRA LEONE, ME HENRY FAHNBULLEH. HE ALSO HELD POST AS FIRST SECRETARY AT HIS COUNTRY'S EMBASSY IN LONDON.

MR FAHNBULLEH WAS INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY ON TREASON CHARGES ON MARCH 7 AFTER EVIDENCE HAD BEEN GIVEN OF AN ALLEGED PLOT TO SEIZE POWER IN LIBERIA WITH THE HELP OF CHINESE REVOLUTIONARIES. IT WAS ALLEGED THAT HE HAD PLANNED TO OVERTHROW PRESIDENT WILLIAM TUBMAN AND INSTAL HIMSELF AS HEAD OF STATE.

THE TRIAL OPENED ON JUNE 11 WHEN THE DEFENDANT OBJECTED TO ALL 12 MEMBERS OF THE JURY ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY WERE ALL AFFILIATED TO THE RULING PARTY, BUT HIS OBJECTION WAS OVERRULED.

AMONG THOSE GIVING EVIDENCE FOR THE PROSECUTION IN THE TRIAL WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LIBERIAN NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY SERVICE (NISS) MR C. WELLINGTON CAMPBELL.

THE TRIAL WAS BEING HELD AT THE TEMPLE OF JUSTICE IN MONROVIA WITH HIS JUDGE JOHN DENNIS PRESIDING.