Special Court for Sierra Leone
Press and Public Affairs Office

PRESS RELEASE
Bonthe, Sierra Leone, 21 March 2003

Sankoh Needs Further Evaluation

After receiving an initial psychiatric report on the alleged leader of the
rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) Foday Saybana Sankoh, Special Court
Judge Benjamin M. Itoe called for further psychiatric examinations. The
hearing was held at a Sierra Leone district court in Bonthe where the
Special Court is functioning while its permanent courthouse and detention
centre are under construction.

The judge ordered that copies of the report, written by Dutch psychiatrist
Dr Peter Verkaeed, be provided to lawyers of the Prosecution and Defence.
The Prosecution requested that the Judge enter a 'not guilty' plea on
behalf of Sankoh. Sankoh has not responded verbally since his first Special
Court hearing earlier this month.

The Judge denied the Prosecution's request, deciding instead that all three
judges of the trial chambers need to make a determination. The case was
adjourned to a date to be fixed by the Registrar.

Public hearings were also held during the day for three other indictees --
alleged RUF commanders Issa Hassan Sesay and Morris Kallon, and alleged
junta commander Alex Tamba Brima, who each face seventeen count
indictments. Their cases were also adjourned. A fifth indictee, Chief
Samuel Hinga Norman, has had closed hearings at an undisclosed location.

The Judge also held a hearing for the first suspect detained by the Special
Court, Augustine Gbao. Suspects can be held up to ninety days without being
charged, subject to the consent the Court.

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