A former leader of Sierra Leone’s rebel group the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) told a war crimes court on Monday that he never received weapons or ammunition from former Liberian president Charles Taylor.

"Has Charles Taylor ever been in charge of the RUF?" asked Taylor's lawyer Courtenay Griffiths. "As far as I know, no," Sesay replied. "Have you ever given diamonds to Charles Taylor?" Griffiths continued. "No, I do not remember having given diamonds to Mr. Charles Taylor," the 40-year-old former rebel replied.

Sesay also said he had no knowledge of other rebel leaders giving Taylor gems.

Issa Hassan Sesay is serving a 52-year prison sentence after being convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL).

But on Monday the former RUF commander appeared once more before the court, as a surprise witness for the defense in the case of Charles Taylor, who is standing trial on charges of supporting rebels during Sierra Leone's 11-year civil war in exchange for so-called "blood diamonds."

Sesay is the highest profile witness to appear for Taylor's defence in the case, which has been going on since January 2008.

When convicted last year, Sesay received the longest prison sentence of the eight rebel commanders brought before the SCSL in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown. He is serving his sentence in Rwanda's modern Mpanga prison in Nyanza.

Taylor denies ordering atrocities in Sierra Leone or being in possession of diamonds as a result of the war. But prosecutors subpoenaed British model Naomi Campbell last week to testify later this month about reports that she received a diamond from Taylor after a 1997 dinner with Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

Special Court for Sierra Leone
Taylor's is the last case to come to trial before the UN-backed special court. He has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes.

Since 2004 the SCSL has tried members of three main factions in the Sierra Leonean war: the Civil Defence Forces (CDF), the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the RUF. However, the most notorious RUF frontman, Foday Sankoh, and CDF leader, Sam Hinga Norman, died in prison before a judgement could be reached.

RUF commander Sam Bockarie was killed in Liberia while the AFRC's Johnny Paul Koroma is believed to be dead, although his indictment still stands.