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Convicted war criminal Charles Taylor claims he is owed $200,000 pension Convicted war criminal Charles Taylor claims he is owed $200,000 pension
(35 minutes later)
The former president of Liberia and convicted war criminal, Charles Taylor, and his wife, Victoria Addison-Taylor, claim they are owed a pension of more than $200,000 earned during the 111 months since he stepped down from power. The former president of Liberia and convicted war criminal, Charles Taylor, and his wife, Victoria Addison-Taylor, claim they are owed a pension of more than $200,000 (£128,000) earned during the 111 months since he stepped down from power.
The amount is equivalent to half of what the current president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is paid, plus personal staff and facilities worth $25,000 a year for the rest of Taylor's life.The amount is equivalent to half of what the current president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is paid, plus personal staff and facilities worth $25,000 a year for the rest of Taylor's life.
In May last year, a UN-backed court sentenced him to 50 years in prison on 11 counts of war crimes in which he aided and abetted Sierra Leone's rebels during the 1991-2002 civil war. Last May, a UN-backed court sentenced him to 50 years' jail on 11 counts of war crimes in which he aided and abetted Sierra Leone's rebels during the 1991-2002 civil war.
"President Taylor now in detention in The Hague, has a huge family back home, and, by law, he is entitled to his retirement benefits to support his wife and family," said Sayma Srenius Cephus, a lawyer at Kemp & Associates in Monrovia who is representing Taylor, the first African head of state to be convicted of crimes against humanity. "President Taylor is now in detention in The Hague, has a huge family back home, and, by law, he is entitled to his retirement benefits to support his wife and family," said Sayma Srenius Cephus, a lawyer at Kemp & Associates in Monrovia who is representing the first African head of state to be convicted of crimes against humanity.
"At the moment, Mrs Taylor is struggling with 12 little children in the home of the former Liberian president and life there is precarious and absolutely condescending and unsuitable for the family of a former constitutional president of our country," Cephus added."At the moment, Mrs Taylor is struggling with 12 little children in the home of the former Liberian president and life there is precarious and absolutely condescending and unsuitable for the family of a former constitutional president of our country," Cephus added.
Liberian law provides that former presidents and vice-presidents who are "honourably retired" and no longer employed by the government are entitled to special pension allowances. Liberian law provides that former presidents and vice-presidents who are "honourably retired" and no longer employed by the government are entitled to special pension allowances. But Liberians are divided about whether Taylor should qualify.
But Liberians are divided about whether Taylor should qualify for the benefit.
"Everybody is talking about this. Opinions are very divided," said Wade Williams, a journalist at the Liberian newspaper FrontPage Africa. "Some people are saying that Charles Taylor didn't give anyone benefits whilst he was president of Liberia, so he shouldn't expect benefits himself."Everybody is talking about this. Opinions are very divided," said Wade Williams, a journalist at the Liberian newspaper FrontPage Africa. "Some people are saying that Charles Taylor didn't give anyone benefits whilst he was president of Liberia, so he shouldn't expect benefits himself.
"But others are constitutionalists, and the constitution requires that as a former president, you get half of what the current president is earning, as well as security, diplomatic passports for your children and other benefits.""But others are constitutionalists, and the constitution requires that as a former president, you get half of what the current president is earning, as well as security, diplomatic passports for your children and other benefits."
"Taylor is very popular still in Liberia," said Aaron Dixon, a resident in Monrovia. "If he were to run for election now, he would win. The opposition party is full of Taylor supporters, so this is a political issue.""Taylor is very popular still in Liberia," said Aaron Dixon, a resident in Monrovia. "If he were to run for election now, he would win. The opposition party is full of Taylor supporters, so this is a political issue."
Liberia has a complicated history of unpopular former heads of state. The former president Samuel Doe, who seized power in Liberia in a bloody 1980 military coup and was tortured and killed by rebels a decade later, was awarded his retirement benefits, paid posthumously to his wife, Nancy Doe.Liberia has a complicated history of unpopular former heads of state. The former president Samuel Doe, who seized power in Liberia in a bloody 1980 military coup and was tortured and killed by rebels a decade later, was awarded his retirement benefits, paid posthumously to his wife, Nancy Doe.
She gave a series of interviews in Liberia in which she told journalists that she was living in poverty. "My children did not go to school. I am sleeping in the dark, no security," she was reported as saying before she received the payments.She gave a series of interviews in Liberia in which she told journalists that she was living in poverty. "My children did not go to school. I am sleeping in the dark, no security," she was reported as saying before she received the payments.
"The widow of the late president Samuel Kanyon Doe, who did not retire but was rather assassinated, filed a petition for a writ of mandamus for the retirement benefits of her late husband and the government of Liberia paid her over $400,000," said Cephus. "What is good for the geese is also good for the ganders." Cephus said: "The widow of the late president Samuel Kanyon Doe, who did not retire but was rather assassinated, filed a petition for a writ of mandamus for the retirement benefits of her late husband and the government of Liberia paid her over $400,000.
"What is good for the geese is also good for the ganders."
But the Liberian government denies it has any duty to provide the same benefits for Taylor.But the Liberian government denies it has any duty to provide the same benefits for Taylor.
"It was out of goodwill that Samuel Doe's wife received support," said a Liberian government adviser, who asked not to be named. "That does not mean that there is an obligation to provide the funds in Taylor's case.""It was out of goodwill that Samuel Doe's wife received support," said a Liberian government adviser, who asked not to be named. "That does not mean that there is an obligation to provide the funds in Taylor's case."
The case is not the first time that Taylor has raised eyebrows with his demands since being arrested by the Sierra Leone special court in 2006 and detained in The Hague, where the court convened specially for his trial.The case is not the first time that Taylor has raised eyebrows with his demands since being arrested by the Sierra Leone special court in 2006 and detained in The Hague, where the court convened specially for his trial.
It has been reported that Taylor has converted to Judaism in detention – receiving regular visits from a rabbi. He has been allowed conjugal visits with his wife, whom he married in 2002, fathering at least one child while in custody.It has been reported that Taylor has converted to Judaism in detention – receiving regular visits from a rabbi. He has been allowed conjugal visits with his wife, whom he married in 2002, fathering at least one child while in custody.