The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) is to run out of money by mid-August unless its donors transfer resources to the UN-supported court immediately, an SCSL official said Friday, according to dpa. SCSL spokesman Solomon Moriba told the German Press Agency dpa that "the court registrar indicated that if no money is received in the coming days, the treasury will be empty by August 14." The spokesman added however that he was "confident" money transfers would be made soon, as ongoing discussions between the court and the donors were "positive." "The donors have invested in this court for many years. We are certain they will not let it all go to waste. Besides, the UN management committee is always satisfied with the court's reports." The Special Court for Sierra Leone, set up jointly by Sierra Leone and the United Nations, is mandated to try those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law and Sierra Leonean law committed since the signing of the failed November 1996 accord to end the country's civil war. The court's biggest case, taking place in The Hague for security reasons, is against former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who is on trial for his alleged leadership role in Liberia's backing of Sierra Leonean rebels. Moriba said the current shortfall was "not the first time" the court almost ran out of money. "Our donors often pledge money to us, but they have their own financial agendas. Sometimes it takes a long time before they can transfer the resources they promised." The US is one of the biggest donors to the SCSL, along with Britain, Canada and Germany, Moriba said. Moriba said the current shortage in financial resources has not yet affected salary payments for the staff in The Hague, whose salaries are assured through August. He however added that court proceedings in The Hague would certainly be affected if new funds were not provided soon. "We need the resources, among others, to transport witnesses from West Africa to The Hague," Moriba said. The number of employees in the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown has been downsized substantially, he added. Once the last appeal case is concluded in October, Moriba said, the court plans "to focus its resources entirely on proceedings in The Hague in the trial against former Liberian president Charles Taylor." Renate Winter, president of the court in The Hague, told the UN Security Council on July 16 that a judgement against Taylor could be expected in July 2010. She also indicated that all the court's ongoing cases should be completed by February 2011.
