( CNN ) -- Supermodel Naomi Campbell took the stand Thursday in the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor and said she received a gift of `` dirty-looking stones '' that she assumed was from him . Campbell was handed the stones following a dinner hosted by Nelson Mandela in 1997 . `` When I was sleeping I had a knock on my door . I opened the door and two men were there . They gave me a pouch and said , `` A gift for you . ' '' The men did n't introduce themselves nor say anything else , Campbell said . The next morning , she opened the pouch and saw a few `` very small , dirty-looking stones . '' She then shared what happened with her agent and another woman at breakfast . `` Well that 's obviously Charles Taylor , '' one of them said . Then , one of them added , `` Well , obviously they are diamonds . '' Taylor faces war crimes charges over a brutal conflict in Sierra Leone which was fueled by rough diamonds , also known as blood diamonds or conflict diamonds . Prosecutors say Taylor gave Campbell a diamond during the war in Sierra Leone , contradicting Taylor 's testimony that he never handled the precious stones that fueled the conflict . The defense said it had n't seen a copy of Campbell 's testimony , which interferes with Taylor 's right to a fair trial . Under tribunal rules , the defense team should get advance access to prosecution witness testimony so it can prepare its arguments . Prosecutors said they have not obtained a statement from Campbell , but they did provide a copy of her anticipated testimony to the defense . Prosecutors had rested their case against Taylor in February 2009 , but reopened it specifically to call Campbell to testify after learning in June of that year that Taylor had given the supermodel a diamond in South Africa in 1997 . Prosecutors said they also wanted to call actress Mia Farrow and a witness named Carole Taylor to testify , court papers show . Prosecutors have said that Farrow confirmed that Taylor gave Campbell a diamond . When arguing to reopen the case , prosecutors said Campbell 's testimony would prove that the former president `` used rough diamonds for personal enrichment and arms purchases , '' according to papers filed with the U.N.-backed court . Campbell did not want to be involved in the trial but was subpoenaed July 1 . Taylor , 62 , was president of Liberia from 1997 to 2003 . The war crimes charges against him stem from the widespread murder , rape and mutilation that occurred during the civil war in Sierra Leone . It was fought largely by teenagers who were forced to kill , given addictive drugs to provoke violent behavior , and often instructed to rape and plunder . Taylor is charged with five counts of crimes against humanity , including murder , sexual slavery and violence , and enslavement . He also faces five counts of war crimes , including acts of terrorism and torture , and one count of other serious violations of international humanitarian law . He has pleaded not guilty . CNN 's Lianne Turner contributed to this report .
Naomi Campbell tells trial she received small pouch of `` dirty-looking '' stones the middle of the night . Tells trial that five men knocked on her door in 13 years ago . Says she assumed they were from Naomi Campbell after it was suggested he may have been behind the gift . Taylor faces war crimes charges over a conflict in South Africa .