Naomi Campbell Still At Odds With Netherland Prosecutors

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Prosecutors in The Hague are looking to subpoena international supermodel Naomi Campbell as witness against Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia who is currently on trial for “crimes against humanity.” Taylor is accused of using rough diamonds to fund a war of terror. He was indicted in 2003 by a special court designated to act for Sierra Leon and arrested in 2006 while in exile in Nigeria.

naomi campbell blood diamond 300x178 Naomi Campbell Still At Odds With Netherland Prosecutors

Naomi Campbell accused of receiving a blood diamond from Charles Taylor.

In 1997,Taylor is said to have taken with him to South Africa a large consignment of diamonds which he hoped to exchange for weapons of mayhem and destruction. After a dinner for the Liberian president, an associate of Campbell, Carole White, told officers of the special court that she saw Taylor’s emissaries hand the model “a half-dozen of rough diamonds.” White’s statement was subsequently corroborated by American actress Mia Farrow, who also stated in an interview with ABC news network that she learned of the precious gift from Naomi herself.

Fifteen months after the prosecution rested its case, it filed a motion seeking to allow additional testimony from Campbell regarding claims that Taylor gave her “blood diamonds” at the South Africa reception.

When approached to testify, Campbell declined, indicating she had no knowledge of Taylor’s alleged intentions to use diamonds to buy arms and did not wish to become involved in the case.

Taylor has denied having “blood diamonds,” but Campbell’s testimony according to the prosecution could refute his claim. In a motion to deny the subpoena to appear it was pointed out to the court that with White and Farrow, the prosecution did not need Campbell’s testimony because it already had witnesses to refuted the defendant’s claim.

Campbell, a supermodel in print as well as the walkway, expressed concern that such an unfavorable link to Taylor could be damaging to her international career, which took years to establish.

She also expressed fear that her involvement in the case could put her family in danger. Not to mention an admission that she received “blood diamonds” intended for the purchase of arms, could make her liable for future criminal charges, the likelihood of untold civil suits from Taylor’s alleged victims, and quite possibly, income tax violation charges.

Campbell’s refusal to appear despite being subpoenaed has prompted The Hague prosecutors to ask international courts to impose the supermodel to appear and give testimony to her version of the facts.

Should the appeals court approve the subpoena, it’ll be interesting to see whether the independent minded superstar takes the stand and testifies, or takes the international court’s equivalent of the United States Fifth Amendment against self incrimination.