Liberia judge probes bribery in coup plot verdict

MONROVIA (Reuters) - A Liberian jury has convicted two ex-army officers of treason for plotting a coup last year but a judge began an inquiry on Wednesday into whether prosecutors bribed jurors, officials and court documents said. The jury convicted former General Charles Julu, who led a previous coup attempt in 1994 during Liberia's civil war, and ex-Colonel Andrew Dorbor on Tuesday over a plot unearthed by the west African country's intelligence services last year. Amid chaotic scenes in court, Judge Charles Williams said he would investigate defence allegations that prosecutors had given each juror $800 to encourage them to convict the pair, the official court record from Tuesday's hearing showed. "I remember that prior to Christmas, the county attorney approached me in my office to say that the government was contemplating giving the jurors $150 for their present as a Christmas bonus. They even offered it to me," he continued. Williams began a hearing into the bribery allegations -- a sort of trial within a trial -- on Wednesday that was expected to continue on Thursday, the clerk of the court told Reuters. News of the coup plot last year stirred fears of a return to political instability after the 2005 election of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-trained former World Bank economist, as Africa's first elected woman head of state. However, many Liberians questioned how serious a risk the coup plot had posed, especially after a huge ammunition cache the authorities said they had found during their investigations turned out to be useless scrap metal destined for recycling. A key piece of evidence released by authorities shortly after the arrests was a video recording of Dorbor and Julu's cousin talking to a military officer from neighbouring Ivory Coast about how to transport weapons from there into Liberia. During initial questioning, Dorbor implicated Julu and George Koukou, who had served as head of the national assembly during a post-war transitional administration. Johnson-Sirleaf pardoned Koukou mid-trial on Monday, citing a need for national reconciliation, during her annual State of the Nation address before both chambers of parliament. She said in her speech she would allow the justice system to run its course in other prosecutions which were at a more advanced stage than that of Koukou. The small West African country faces huge struggles as it struggles to rebuild infrastructure and public services, including its law enforcement and judicial systems, after a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003. africa.reuters.com

Farewell Tenerife

At 2pm today we slipped our moorings and sailed into the open sea on a heading south west en route for Monrovia, Liberia. We are currently sailing in choppy seas along the south coast of the Tenerife, and soon we will be able to see the airport and Los Christianos. We have had a wonderful few weeks, and have all put on a few pounds I'm sure. We have enjoyed every minute of our time spent with the Brits in Silencio Christian Fellowship and South Tenerife Christian Fellowship - they are doing great work with the British community over here, and we wish them every success over the next year until we return, we hope, at the end of 2008. And so in 6 days we will have returned to Monrovia, a land with no playgrounds or neat parks for the kids to play in, and no shops or pavement cafes to explore or hang out in. The next ten months will be very hard work, and that in itself has made our time in Tenerife all the more special. Olly

Last Saturday in Tenerife

As we are due to sail to Liberia on Wednesday, today was our last Saturday in Tenerife. The day was warm and with no wind, so we caught a bus to Las Terisitas beach outside Santa Cruz, which was crowded at last. We have been there two or three times over the last month, but on each occasion it was deserted, with cloudy skies and howling winds. Today was quite the opposite, with people sunbathing and swimming, and we all had a lovely time soaking up the sunshine in preparation for the real sun in Liberia. The sea was still freezing though. Olly

President Bush to visit Liberia

The White House announced Friday that United States President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush will visit five countries in a one-week tour of Africa next month. The trip between February 15 and 21 will include stops in Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia. The White House said Bush will meet the presidents of these countries "to discuss how the United States can continue to partner with African countries to support continued democratic reform, respect for human rights, free trade, open investment regimes, and economic opportunity across the continent." It also said the trip will be an opportunity for President Bush to "review firsthand the significant progress" made in the fight against HIV/Aids and malaria. The United States has spent billions on programs fighting HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases. Bush has called on Congress to double funding for President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) to U.S.$30 billion. Pepfar focuses primarily on Africa. According to government statistics, the program has helped more than one million people get antiretroviral treatment. Bush last visited Africa in 2003. allafrica.com

Another TRC trial of an accused war crimal

One of Liberia's foremost popular musical artists, S. Marcus Davis alias Sundaygar Dearboy, says he will remain unperturbed despite claims by others in an attempt to "tarnish his reputation" at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in a bid to bring him to public ridicule and condemnation. In a chat with the Inquirer yesterday, the famous musical star lamented that it is unfortunate for evil-minded people as well as some invisible hands to engage in diversionary tactics and witch-hunting to bring him down at all costs as he is about to reach the ultimate of his career. The TRC is hearing allagations that Dearboy was involved in many foul acts during the Liberian war years, including leading the brutal gang rape of a woman who died of her injuries three weeks later. allafrica.com

Bridgestone donates tyres to Mercy Ships

Bridgestone has donated a consignment of tyres to Mercy Ships, the international charity operating hospital ships that provide health care in some of the world’s poorest countries. A selection of Bridgestone’s rugged 4x4 Dueller tyres have been supplied, and these will see use on vehicles that travel into remote areas of the bush, across difficult terrain and dirt tracks to reach sick people that otherwise could not be treated. For Des Collins, vice president Public Relations, Bridgestone Europe, this donation makes sense in several ways: “Bridgestone has a sister company in Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, which employs more than 6,000 people in the production of natural rubber. As a part of its commitment to employees and their families in Liberia, Firestone operates its own schools and hospitals there, and consequently knows well the local need for health care. Therefore, Bridgestone was attracted to helping Mercy Ships in their efforts in West Africa and we are confident that the Dueller 4x4 tyres will help them in their great work.” reifenpresse.de

Gala Reception

Last night the Spanish office organised a Gala Reception on the ship for Tenerife's leading government officials, dignitaries, business leaders and the media. An events company provided very glamorous young men and women as hosts and hostesses, and a catering company provided a bar serving alcohol, interesting looking canapes and glasses of pured beetroot. It was a very weird experience for us crew who were invited, standing in the International Lounge surrounded by men in expensive looking suits and ladies in high heels and low-cut tops sipping wine and eating fancy food. It was all very un-Mercy Ships. Still, it was all for a good cause, and succeeded in raising our profile. Olly

Tragedy in Santa Cruz port

We have a very special relationship with the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. For many years they have provided free tugs and pilots, berths, water, garbage disposal and security to Mercy Ships, and this visit alone we have been given a free berth for 5 weeks. During this time we have watched the daily comings and goings of the many ferries and ships with interest. Sadly, last night one of the pilot boats collided with a ferry and sank, and one of the crew lost his life. This happened not 100 yards from our ship - today I watched divers prepare to salvage the boat. We share the Port's loss. Please pray for the maritime community here and the deceased's family as they come to terms with their loss. Photo of one of the Port's pilot boats. Olly

No skin doctors in Liberia

The Liberian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has revealed that there are no dermatologists in the country at present, and it does not know whether the Ministry will ever have such expert in its employ in the future. The Ministry confirmed that dermatologists can be found in Ghana, Nigeria, the USA or the UK. allafrica.com
Imagine that, a country with over 3 million residents and not one skin expert in site. Appalling. Olly

Lots and lots of Land Rover parts

Today we took delivery of 4 pallet loads of Land Rover parts from the UK, which Moses and I packed away in our container workshop. It was like Christmas Day, after having such a shortage of parts for so long. In real terms, in Liberia the shipment is probably worth four times what we paid for it in the UK, since parts are so expensive in Liberia if they can be found at all. Olly

Supporters hold church service for Charles Taylor's acquittal

Family and friends of Charles Taylor held a church service on Sunday in support of the former Liberian president, on the eve of his trial in The Hague on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The service at the First Baptist Church in Congo Town, outside the Liberian capital Monrovia, was attended by scores of supporters and Taylor's estranged wife Jewel Howard Taylor, a member of parliament in the West African country. Supporters said more than three hours of prayers for the acquittal of Taylor, who is a deacon of the Baptist church and frequently invoked his Christian faith during his presidency, when Liberia became the epicenter of wars sweeping West Africa. Preacher Gardea Johnson told the congregation that Taylor's trial was part of an international conspiracy and said his church would support the ex-president because he was a "child of God." africa.reuters.com He looks real innocent, eh? Olly

Anna's first high heels

On Friday Anna found some high heels in the Lions Charity Shop in Silencio (the only one on the whole island) and she is very proud of them. She has spent the whole weekend searching out floor-tiles that she can clip-clop over, and has enjoyed being a grown-up. Olly

Libby's injuries

Last night Libby stabbed herself in the eye with a toothpick, and Sally had to put a band-aid over her eye to stop her crying (like that would really help). She woke up this morning absolutely fine and had forgotten all about her injury, but then she got an electric shock from a light she was messing around with, and now has a band-aid on that too...Olly

A weekend in Silencio

We've just had a fab weekend away, staying at John's house in Silencio, courtesy of Ken & Caroline's arrangements. We had a great big British fry-up on Friday lunchtime, and over the weekend we enjoyed the beaches at Los Christianos and Las Gallettes, although it was far to cold and windy to swim even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky on Saturday. Today the Calima arrived - a cloud of sand blown in from the Sahara (we call it the Harmatan in West Africa), and visibility has been reduced so that we can't see the mountains any more. But what a wonderful weekend! Thanks, John & Ken. Olly

Liberian warlord, General Butt Naked: "Any time we captured a town, I had to make a human sacrifice"

Monrovia - An evangelical pastor described the atrocities he and his men committed during the Liberian civil war, including magical rituals that involved slaughtering children and eating their hearts. Joshua Milton Blahyi spared no details on Tuesday as he told Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission of his years with one of the most feared militias of the war. Dressed in an immaculate suit, Blahyi, 37, said it was for the TRC to decide whether he should be given an amnesty or prosecuted. In the days of Liberia's first civil war (1989-1997), he had led fighters from the feared ULIMO - the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy - that backed the then president Samuel Doe. It was Doe's 1990 assassination that sparked the orgy of violence that engulfed the country for most of that decade. During the civil war Blahyi, known as "General Butt Naked", said he led a group of young soldiers who fought naked while under the influence of drugs. They were notorious for their cruelty and use of magic rituals. A member of the Krahn ethnic group, Blayhi told how he had been initiated into a secret society at the age of 11 and became a traditional priest. His task became to protect all members of his ethnic group. At the time, he said, he had magical powers that made him invisible. "Having a special power, I was always a distance ahead of the rest of the fighters when we were going to the front. I used to capture a town first and then I call the rest of the group to clean up," he said. Before an audience of about 300 people at the hearing, he recalled the atrocities he committed to maintain his magical powers. "Any time we captured a town, I had to make a human sacrifice. They bring to me a living child that I slaughter and take the heart off to eat it." He did not know how many people they killed, he said. "But for what I did, it is not less than twenty thousands," he added, breaking down in tears. The hall, which earlier had rung to shouts of outrage at his account, fell silent. The turning point for him came in 1996, he said. "A lady offered me her child for my sacrifice. After cutting up the child I divided the heart among my boys and myself. "The blood of the child was still on my hand when Jesus appeared to me and asked me to stop being a slave." It was this experience, he said, that prompted his religious conversion and his life since then, travelling the country preaching his version of the Christian message. Blayhi had come to the TRC hearings of his own initiative."I was told that TRC can recommend amnesty or prosecution," he said. But he said he is ready to face trial if need be. iol.co.za

Multi-story car parks

Today I took our West African mechanic shopping for vehicle fluids. We parked in a multi-story car park (parking garage) two floors under a hyper-market, and it was his first experience of such a place. He couldn't believe that concrete buildings were capable of holding the weight of hundreds of cars, and walked around in awe of the place, muttering "this is strong concrete, strong concrete!" as if willing the place to stay strong whilst he was inside. Maybe he didn't quite trust it's strength. Olly

Liberian diarrhoea outbreal kills 4

The Health ministry in Monrovia has reported a diarrhoea outbreak in the south-eastern Counties of Maryland and Grand Kru County located more than 350 kilometers from the capital Monrovia. Liberia's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Moses Pewu confirmed that four persons have died while 160 persons have been infected in nine towns communities in the region. He said the County Health Teams in collaboration with international NGOs had moved in to contain the outbreak. Diarrhooea is a water-borne disease which becomes prevalent during the dry season when the water level reduces. apanews.net

Loro Parque

Today we went to Loro Park in Puerta De La Cruz on the other side of Tenerife, for a day of fun. The park is a fancy zoo I suppose, with parrot, orca, dolphin and sea-lion shows. Also, panthers, jaguars, gorillas, monkeys, chimps etc are on display. It was very well done and the place was immaculate. We spent the whole day there, courtesy of a gift from some British Christians in the South of the island - we were amongst the first to arrive and the last to depart, and had a wonderful time with good weather. Thanks again, dear friends. Olly

Yeah, thanks, US Navy

This weekend we had to cancel all public tours to the Africa Mercy, as the Port was on a heightened state of security because of the arrival of an unnamed ship. This morning, said ship arrived - HS2 "Swift" of the US Navy, a high-speed catamaran based in Texas. The ship wasn't in the port for long, but it completely disrupted the weekend's tours - most have been rescheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the coming week, but it has been a major embarrassment for Mercy Ships and us having to reschedule them - we had 55 people coming in a bus from South Tenerife Christian Fellowship plus many others from Silencio Christian Fellowship...Photo of the catamaran. Olly

Old Anastasis photo

Today I found this great photo of the Anastasis hitting the dock at full speed in Benin in November 2004, when the engines failed to go into reverse and the ship couldn't slow down. I remember standing on Aft Deck with Noah and Anna and hearing the announcement "brace for impact, brace for impact!" at the time. A team of ship repairers came from Ghana to mend the damaged bow. Strange to think its sitting on a beach right now in India waiting to be cut up for scrap. Olly