Lawyers for warlord seek to delay Campbell testimony

LAWYERS defending former Liberian president Charles Taylor have filed an urgent motion in an attempt to delay supermodel Naomi Campbell giving evidence in his war crimes trial.

Taylor’s defence filed the motion because they have not been provided with a summary of Campbell’s testimony ahead of her court appearance, according to a spokesman for the Special Court of Sierra Leone, which is trying the case in The Hague.

Campbell, 40, is due to give evidence on Thursday over claims she accepted a rough diamond from the former warlord after a party hosted by Nelson Mandela in South Africa in 1997.

A decision on the motion for a “stay of testimony” is not expected until midday tomorrow.

Campbell’s evidence has already been delayed once and she initially refused to participate in the trial.

She enlisted the services of Lord Macdonald, the former British DPP, who last week filed a motion for “protective measures”.

Documents state that the judge may “order appropriate measures to safeguard the privacy and security of victims and witnesses”.

Taylor, 62, is charged with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and conscripting child soldiers.

He is accused of arming and controlling Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a rebel force responsible for widespread atrocities.

Campbell was issued with a subpoena to attend court after actress Mia Farrow and the model’s former agent Carole White said she received a rough diamond from Taylor in 1997.

The prosecutors say Taylor’s alleged possession of rough diamonds is a “central issue” in the case against him, and supports allegations he was carrying the diamonds to sell or exchange for weapons for the RUF.

Taylor, who denies the charges, described Farrow’s story as “totally incorrect”.

Farrow and White are to give evidence on August 9.