O
SPECIAL COURT FOR SIERRA LEONE
JOMO KENYATTA ROAD • FREETOWN • SIERRA LEONE
PHONE: +1 212 963 9915 Extension: 178 7000 or +39 0831 257000 or +232 22 295995
FAX: Extension: 178 7001 or +39 0831 257001 Extension: 174 6996 or +232 22 295996

THE TRIAL CHAMBER

ORDER FOR FILING PRE-TRIAL BRIEFS
(UNDER RULES 54 and 73 bis )

THE TRIAL CHAMBER (“Trial Chamber”) of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (“Special Court”) composed of Judge Bankole Thompson, Presiding Judge, Judge Benjamin Mutanga Itoe and Judge Pierre Boutet;

RECALLING the Trial Chamber’s decision of 27 January 2004, in which it ordered that the accused Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu (singularly or collectively, “Accused”) be tried jointly;

NOTING Rule 73 bis of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the Special Court (“Rules”), which provides for the filing of a pre-trial brief by the Office of the Prosecutor (“Prosecution”) addressing the factual and legal issues in the case at a time after the Pre-Trial Conference has been held, and further provides for the filing of a pre-trial brief by the Defence addressing the factual and legal issues not later than seven days prior to the date set for trial;

NOTING the “Practice Direction on Filing Documents before the Special Court for Sierra Leone,” issued by the Registrar on 27 February 2003, and specifically Article 9 thereof,

CONSIDERING THAT the right of the Accused to a fair and expeditious trial will be advanced by the filing of the pre-trial briefs at an earlier stage in the pre-trial process than after the Pre-Trial Conference;

MINDFUL OF the need to comply with Rule 54 and Rule 73 bis of the Rules;

HEREBY ORDERS that the Prosecution pre-trial brief in this case shall be filed on or before 5 March 2004;

And FURTHER ORDERS that the each Defence team shall file its pre-trial brief by 26 March 2004.