Computer Experts Testify in Liberian Human rights Activist Case

The Criminal Court "A" at the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill, will be the scene of attraction this morning, as some computer experts are expected to demonstrate to the court how internet works.

After the second rebuttal witness, Inspector Sebastine A. Gibson, was discharged from the witness stand during the last hearing in the Toe treason case, the presiding judge, his Honor Boima Kontoe explained that after a careful perusal of the prosecution’s case which harbors around the e-mail "Blueprint for stability in Liberia", the court observed that e-mail as a product of the Internet Communication System is not widely used as a mode of communication in Liberia.

Judge Kontoe on last Friday, told the court that the counsels on both sides of the case are to jointly submit the names and addresses of three individuals who by reason of education, training and experience possess superior knowledge about the working of the Internet system, especially when it comes to the receiving and sending of e-mails.

According to the presiding judge, one of such experts will appear and enlighten the minds of the court on the Internet by demonstrating with a computer that has access to the Internet.

Prior to Judge Kontoe’s statement, the second rebuttal witness who is the Deputy Inspector of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Sebastian Gibson, told the court that on October 29, 2003 between the hours of 6:00-6:30a.m., about four senior officers including himself, some junior police officers and the Sheriff of the Monrovia City Court, proceeded to the home of Mr. Aloysius Toe in Battery Factory.

The rebuttal witness testified that upon their arrival at the home of Mr. Toe with a search warrant that morning, they met the back door locked, and so they entered the residence through the front door and met Mr. Toe sitting in his living room.

In his testimony, Insp. Gibson who is also the Deputy Chief Inspector for the anti-drugs section, continued that after serving the search warrant on Mr. Toe, the sheriff was given the ‘go-ahead’ to conduct the search, and said, "the sheriff conducted the search and we, the officers, served as backup."

According to Insp. Gibson, the police did not participate in the search, instead it was the sheriff alone who conducted the search while the police officers served as backup, "when the search began, Mr. Toe, knowing the in and out of his house, cleverly escaped. After the completion of the search, we proceeded back to Central."

Meanwhile, the treason case involving human rights activist, Aloysius Toe continues this morning at 11:00a.m.