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SA mum on Taylor jun asylum
10/07/2003 08:40 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The South African government has not confirmed yet whether Liberian President Charles Taylor's son has sought asylum here.
The government would release a statement once it had received official information in this regard, said foreign affairs spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota.
French news agency AFP, quoting sources in Liberia's capital of Monrovia, reported on Wednesday that Charles Taylor jun, who commands the anti-terrorist unit (ATU) presidential guard which has been accused of human rights abuses and torture, had fled to South Africa.
According to the report, Taylor jun, popularly known as "Chucky", left Liberia for South Africa at the weekend and intended to seek asylum.
The South African department of home affairs said on Wednesday night it had not received an application for asylum from Taylor.
Destroyed his unit's records
"We have not yet found Mr Taylor in the records in one of our reception centres in Johannesburg, but we are still searching," said spokesperson Leslie Mashokwe.
"No one has confirmed his presence here (in South Africa).
His presence is not known, but we will double check our records tomorrow (Thursday) in case he is in the country."
The AFP report said the Liberian president's son had destroyed ATU records and documents before leaving.
His father, a former warlord, is facing his toughest test yet as president after the outbreak of civil war, four years ago. He controls only about a fifth of Liberia.
On Sunday, the Liberian president accepted an asylum offer in Nigeria, but said he would not leave until international peacekeepers arrived to ensure a smooth transition.
The president has been indicted by a United Nations-backed court in Sierra Leone for war crimes.
He allegedly helped Sierra Leone rebels during that country's 10-year civil war which claimed the lives of about 250 000 people, while maiming thousands of others.
- SAPA
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