Career
After graduating, this young man came back to Liberia to work for the leader of the country, Samuel Doe. Taylor took part in the uprising of April 12, 1980, under the leadership of Doe, against the President William R. Tolbert, Jr. Tolbert was killed in the coup and a military rule was established by Doe's party, 'People's Redemption Council'.
Charles was made the Director General of the 'General Services Agency' ('GSA'), an organization that was responsible for making procurements for the government. In 1983, he was removed from the post because he had stolen $1000000 from the government for personal use.
Though he tried to escape to the United States of America, he was arrested by U.S. officials and imprisoned at the 'Plymouth County House of Corrections' in Massachusetts. Here, the convict tried to convince that he was being incriminated for political reasons rather than criminal, but to no avail.
The prisoner took the help of a few other convicts and fled from the jail on September 15, 1985. According to news reports they had cut through a bar outside a window, sliding down using tied up sheets, and finally disappearing into the woods.
Though reports say that the inmates were assisted by Taylor's wife Enid and her sister Lucia, the man himself claimed much later that he was helped by CIA agents.
After escaping from the United States, he sought refuge in Libya, and was trained in guerrilla warfare, by revolutionary Muammar Gaddafi. Charles moved to Ivory Coast in West Africa, and formed the 'National Patriotic Front of Liberia' ('NPFL'), a group of mutineers.
From Ivory Coast, the revolutionary led the 'First Liberian Civil War' in 1989, with the aim of ousting President Samuel Doe. Within the next year, under his leadership the 'NPFL' had taken over most of the country.
The same year, one of his senior officers, Prince Johnson separated from the 'NPFL' to form the 'Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia' ('INPFL'). Johnson seized the city of Monrovia, apprehended Doe, and tortured the latter to death.
After Johnson's entry, the civil war turned even more violent and became the cause of ethnic divide in the country. The war lasted for seven long years and finally came to an end in 1996.
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In 1997, general elections were held in Liberia, and Taylor was one of the presidential candidates. The elections were organized by the 'United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia' ('UNOMIL'), in association with the 'Economic Community of West African States'.
The 'NPFL' leader won a majority of the votes and was elected the President of Liberia. Though the elections were mostly fair, possibilities of citizens being scared of him could not be ruled out.
Within two years, citizens started resenting the President's rule. In 1999, an insurgent group by the name of 'Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy' ('LURD') began protesting against the ruling government, thus paving the way for the 'Second Liberian Civil War'.
Within a span of four years, the 'LURD', which was believed to have been assisted by the government of Guinea, had captured most of Liberia.
By 2003, a new rebel group called 'Movement for Democracy in Liberia' ('MODEL') had sprung up. 'MODEL' was supported by the government of Ivory Coast, and soon took over the southern part of Liberia.
On March 7, 2003, Taylor was accused of participation in the 'Sierra Leone Civil War'. He was alleged by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, to have committed crimes against humanity by helping ‘Revolutionary United Front’ (RUF) kill more than 50,000 citizens. He was also accused of having employed child soldiers for the 'RUF' in the brutal war.
The court of Sierra Leone also alleged that Taylor had given refuge to the Al-Qaeda members who were wanted for the bomb blasts in Kenyan and Tanzanian U.S. embassies.
In July, the same year, the Liberian President lost control of Monrovia, and had to seek exile in Nigeria, after orders from U.S. President George W. Bush. Bush urged Charles to resign, and the President of Liberia was forced to leave office on August 11, 2003.
After surrendering his government to his Vice-President Blah, he went to the city of Calabar in Nigeria. In November, the 'United States Congress' offered a reward of two million dollars to anyone who could help the U.S. government arrest Taylor.
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Three years later, in 2006, the new President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, requested the Nigerian government to hand over custody of Charles. On March 25 the request was approved, but soon, the former Liberian President was missing.
Later that month, while Charles was attempting to escape through Cameroon, he was arrested by border guards who found cash and heroin in his vehicle. He was brought back to Libya, from where he was taken to Sierra Leone for his trial.
The court of Sierra Leone found the former political leader to be guilty of eleven charges, including rape, murder and torture. After attending a series of court proceedings, he is currently being held in the Netherlands, where in 2012 he was sentenced to 50 years of imprisonment.
Facts About Charles Taylor
Charles Taylor is known for his interest in fashion and was often seen wearing colorful and unique outfits during his time in power.
In addition to his political career, Charles Taylor is also a published author, having written a book on his experiences and perspectives on governance in Africa.
Taylor is a skilled orator and was praised for his ability to captivate audiences with his charisma and persuasive speaking style.
Despite his controversial reputation, Taylor is known to have a soft spot for animals and has been involved in wildlife conservation efforts in Liberia.
Taylor has a passion for music and is a talented musician, often playing the guitar and singing at private gatherings.
