Africa-Press – Liberia. Ex-Sierra Leonean rebel leader, Gibril Massaquoi, who is standing trial in Finland for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Liberia has been released from prison ahead on his verdict in March or April.
By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives
Massaquoi charges include rape, ritual murder and recruitment of child soldiers, which prosecutors say he committed during Liberia’s second civil war—charges he denies.
“Massaquoi has been imprisoned for approximately two years, which can be considered an exceptionally long period”, the Pirkanmaa District Court hearing the trial Said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Court added: “Moreover, an exceptionally long period of almost 20 years has already elapsed since the alleged acts”.
Presiding Judge, Juhani Paiho told me through messages by WhatsApp his Court acted on the instruction of the Finnish Supreme Court. “The Supreme Court in Finland has previously issued rulings that the general rule is that the accused should be released to wait the verdict. He has been in detention for 2 years now, possible crimes were committed almost 20 years ago, it was considered to be unfair to continue his detention taking into consideration human rights aspects… also we have to follow guidelines from our Supreme Court”.
The release of Massaquoi, 51, from prison could shock human rights campaigners, who may fear that it could prejudice his case, but Paiho clarified “This decision does not prejudice the coming verdict though”.
Judge Paiho also said that Massaquoi is under no surveillance “He is not. So far, there has been no reason to have a risk of flight. Of course we can never say for sure. This was the assessment of the Court as a whole”.
Massaquoi served as an informant for the former UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, which prosecuted and sentenced former Liberian President, Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison for aiding and abetting the Sierra Leonean civil war, which killed an estimated 50,000 people.
The court said it found evidence that Taylor supported the defunct Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone, with whom Massaquoi he held several, positions, including spokesman.
Massaquoi moved to Finland in 2008, but prosecutors there, working with two nonprofit NGOs—Swiss based CIVITAS maxima and its Liberian counterpart, Global Justice and Research Project, indicted him, in March 2020. His trial formally began in Finland in February 2021.
The Court heard testimonies from dozens of witnesses from Liberia and Sierra Leone. There were two phases of the hearings in Liberia, although the Sierra Leonean witnesses were flown to Liberia by the Court for the second phase of the trial. The court then recessed and returned to Finland to hear additional witnesses.
Some of the witnesses it heard in Liberia included Massaquoi’s alleged victims, some of whom displayed scars on their bodies they claimed Massaquoi either personally created or ordered his soldiers to.
Massaquoi is facing trial under Finnish laws—the first Sierra Leonean to stand such charges for his alleged role during any of Liberia’s two civil wars between December 1989-August 2003.
Liberia is yet to legislate a court to try those accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the wars, despite recommendations from the former Truth and Reconciliation Commission and local and international campaigns and efforts for the West African country to do so.
In October 2018, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution to establish the court and implement the TRC’s recommendations.
A year later, over two-thirds of Liberia’s House of Representatives also approved a resolution for the court.
In June 2021, the Liberian National Bar Association led a group of civil society organizations to formally present a bill to the Legislature on the matter.
But the Senate somewhat dashed hopes that the Legislature would approve the court when, it, also in June 2021, urged President Weah to set up of a transitional justice commission to review the TRC’s recommendations—a decision that angered justice campaigners, who said the move showed that body was not interested in ensuring accountability for war-time atrocities.
President George Weah, perhaps unsurprisingly, backed the senate’s action.
“I have taken due note of the advisement contained in the comprehensive report of the Honourable Senate aimed at bringing to closure the issues of reconciliation and justice arising from the Liberian Civil Conflict”, Weah said in a communication to the Senate in August 2021.
Weah, who has summersaulted over his earlier endorsement of a war crimes court assured the body he would act on its suggestions “I would like to assure you that I shall give these recommendations timely and due considerations.”
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