MONROVIA, Liberia—On the first day of the return of Finland’s Turku Court of Appeal to Liberia, all two defense witnesses said although an accused former Sierra Leonean warlord was in Liberia in 2001, it was only for “peace talks.”
By Forgbe Emma Kloh with New Narratives
“Defense 11” and “Defense “13” said Gibril Massaquoi, a former commander of Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front (RUF), “passed through Lofa County” in Liberia’s north, before coming to Monrovia to meet Charles Taylor, the then-Liberian President to plead with him to help end the war in Sierra Leone. In 2012, the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone convicted and sentenced Taylor to 50 years in jail for fueling the Sierra Leonean war.
“I saw him [Massaquoi] in Foya in 2001, where we were staying,” said Defense 11, who told the Court on Friday that he was a former soldier for the RUF [identities of witnesses have been concealed to protect them from retributions]. “When we came, the fighting was still in Liberia, so we divided the troops. Others went to Vahum and Kolahum, while I was in Foya as a radio commander to Eagle.”
Finnish prosecutors have alleged it was in those towns and other areas, including Kamatahun and Kortuhun that Massaquoi raped and killed civilians, or ordered his solders to do so. They’ve claimed that he ordered his soldiers to lockup civilians and set fire to buildings they were in for allegedly supporting rebels from the Liberians United for Reconciliation and democracy, who were fighting Taylor’s government at the time. Although the Pirkanmaa District Court of Tampere acquitted Massaquoi a little over a year ago on grounds that prosecutors did not prove his crimes “beyond a reasonable doubt,” prosecutors have lined up witnesses to strengthen their argument in these appeal proceedings that the lower court got it wrong by its decision. The Turku Court of Appeal has returned to Liberia following a short break in Finland, where it heard some witnesses. Many prosecution witnesses, who said they had travelled from Lofa to Monrovia for the hearings when the Court was first here, accused Massaquoi of killing their relatives.
But Defense lawyers have often questioned the credibility of the witnesses. They too have brought their own witnesses to bolster their argument. Unlike the District Court, the Appeal Court could not travel to Sierra Leone to hear witnesses, many of whom are for the defense, because the Sierra Leonean government did not approve its presence there. So, the witnesses have travelled to Liberia for the hearings.
Things look to be proceeding according to plan so far for Massaquoi and lawyers, with their witnesses testifying that he’s innocent of the charges against him.
Corroborating the testimony of Defense 11, Defense 13, who claimed she bore a child for Missisquoi said he was “a personal assistant” to Foday Sankoh, the RUF leader, but was never involved with combat activities.
The woman recalled she joined Massaquoi in the Gambia, where the peace talks were taking place and later came with him to Liberia.
“He said he was coming to Liberia on a peace talk so I should come,” said Defense 13.
The woman said she lived on the VP Road in Paynesville with a friend, while Massaquoi made frequent visits in and out of Liberia for peace purposes. She said he also visited her in Paynesville.
“He used to come as often as he wants once he was in Monrovia.”
The hearings will continue on Monday, with more witnesses expected to testify.
This story was produced in collaboration with New Narratives as part of its West Africa Justice Reporting Project.