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BELLINZONA, Switzerland – The second final day of witness testimony within the attraction listening to of Alieu Kosiah, the Liberian former insurgent commander who was convicted of conflict crimes in Switzerland’s first conflict crimes trial in 2021, noticed prosecutors concede it was seemingly Kunti Kamara, Kosiah’s former ally convicted in his personal conflict crimes trial in Paris in November, who stabbed a sufferer to demise. The homicide was one in all many crimes for which Kosiah was convicted.
Nevertheless, each side agreed that even when Kamara dedicated the crime, Kosiah may very well be discovered responsible as a co-conspirator. The defence, which has argued that Kosiah was not current on the place the place the crimes have been dedicated, didn’t argue in opposition to this requalification.
A plaintiff from the day past’s listening to continued his testimony as we speak describing the pressured march that many males within the Foya space of Lofa County have stated they have been compelled to undertake to convey items to the Guinea border on the market on behalf of Ulimo, the insurgent group during which Kamara and Kosiah have admitted to being commanders.
As he has usually throughout these trials, Dimitri Gianoli, Kosiah’s lawyer, requested the plaintiff very exact inquiries to show that his recollections weren’t dependable. Most of them have been particular questions concerning the itinerary of these pressured labour convoys. Upon questions from the decide, the plaintiff admitted that as he couldn’t learn, and like most of his compatriots who had a restricted training, he wasn’t in a position to learn a map. This underscored a constant criticism by Kosiah on this trial, that plaintiffs and Kosiah himself have struggled to elucidate themselves on this international courtroom setting.
The plaintiff stated that he noticed the uncle of a good friend of his, (the good friend can also be a witness within the proceedings), being killed throughout a march. “We have been carrying ammunition and there have been gunshots whereas we have been crossing a bridge,” he answered to Gianoli’s question whether or not he was sure the person was useless. “I used to be too preoccupied with my very own survival however whenever you see somebody useless in entrance of you, you don’t neglect.”
When Kosiah was given the chance to answer, he was again on the offensive. “In life whenever you make a mistake, it’s a must to dwell as much as it. Don’t double down on it. That’s precisely what the prosecutor is doing,” he stated. Kosiah repeated his earlier accusations that witnesses had been paid.
At the very least one of many witnesses the defence introduced from Liberia to testify on Kosiah’s behalf in 2021 had requested for $US10,000 {dollars} to cowl his bills in an e mail seen by the courtroom. However Kosiah’s workforce has introduced no proof that prosecution witnesses and plaintiffs have been paid.
Kosiah denied allegations of the pressured labour convoy and claimed that he would have by no means despatched civilians close to the frontline. Alain Werner, Director of Civitas Maxima and one of many attorneys for the plaintiffs, disputed this allegation. Werner has grow to be a chief nemesis for Kosiah for the reason that former insurgent commander was arrested by Swiss authorities in 2014.
“In his deposition, the kid soldier who testified at your request said that, ‘Anyone needed to carry the ammunitions as we have been carrying the weapons’. He additionally said you have been current,” stated Werner.
Alieu Kosiah denied it. “I’m not saying that some commanders weren’t doing pressured labor convoys, however I by no means did it myself,” he claimed. Werner pushed to reveal inconsistencies in Kosiah’s statements.
“The witnesses that you just introduced stated that there was a pressured transport in Kolahun,” stated Werner. “I’m not denying the transport, however I wasn’t there,” replied Kosiah.
READ ALSO: ‘Kosiah raped me 4 instances,’ Swiss courtroom hears
The second-to-last plaintiff began by thanking the Swiss courtroom for the chance describing it as, “a very powerful day of my life” and saying he was eager for justice. “Numerous us are hoping for a Liberia courtroom to evaluate conflict criminals, sadly it nonetheless hasn’t occurred.” The plaintiff stated his need for justice was “not solely on Alieu Kosiah. If anybody had dedicated against the law that I witnessed, I might additionally come to testify.”
He repeated what the final plaintiff, his former classmate, had stated about three villagers who got here to Switzerland to testify in assist of Alieu Kosiah.
“They advised everybody within the village that we have been collaborating in a trial in Switzerland. Certainly one of them even referred to as me to ask me questions.” The plaintiff claimed the three have been shut Ulimo. One would deliver them marijuana and was in flip by no means pressured to take part within the convoys, in keeping with the plaintiff. The courtroom has ordered plaintiff and witness identities to be suppressed to guard their identities.
The decide requested the plaintiff to quantify the variety of pressured labour convoys he took half in. “It’s uncountable, we have been like their slaves,” he stated. The judged went on: “Okay, however 5, ten or twenty?”
“I wouldn’t be capable to give an estimate in the course of the ‘93-‘95 interval because it was too frequent. Virtually every day. Daily within the morning, they’d collect the younger saying that 5-6 folks would want to remain within the village, as they could want to hold stuff. It was our every day routine,” he stated.
The decide then requested him why he remembered two of the rebels – Kamara and Kosiah – amongst others. “I needed to give attention to the key ones as a result of I’ll always remember them,” the plaintiff replied, rocking backwards and forwards on his chair.
On request, he recalled a day when he left the village of Kolahun to go to Foya. “I used to be afraid of getting to do extra pressured labor. I went to Foya upon order from “Mami Wata” (a Ulimo fighter), however as quickly as I arrived I ran away as I noticed wheelbarrows stuffed with human stays.”
Requested how he acknowledged Alieu Kosiah in Foya that day, the plaintiff stated: “Everyone was saying his identify on a regular basis. He was sitting, and I noticed him from a distance.”
“Troopers would get in between civilians to stop us from fleeing whereas we have been strolling,” he stated, describing the pressured convoys. “However as quickly as we arrived, you wouldn’t come near them otherwise you would die.” He recalled how his uncle was killed – although he didn’t see it along with his eyes. “He was behind us. Too drained to stroll. Alieu Kosiah got here and threatened him. I heard him going to search for a gun after which a gunshot. That’s why I say that he killed him.”
Aiming to decrease the witness’s credibility, Kosiah’s lawyer requested him a few track that many witnesses have claimed Ulimo rebels sang throughout pressured marches. The plaintiff began singing. “In ‘90 when the NPFL the Ulimo fled. Then they got here again. So that they sing: After we got here again to Liberia, we turned lions.”
Requested by the decide whether or not he recognised the track Kosiah conceded he had heard it. “I’m not a singer, however it’s true that some troopers have been singing it.” He then began laughing cynically. “For the remaining, the whole lot is fake.”
Kosiah additionally questioned the credibility of the witness. He claimed the witness’s uncle was by no means killed and was nonetheless alive. He was one of many witnesses that the defence had dropped at the courtroom final yr. “Who wouldn’t acknowledge his uncle?” stated the previous commander repeatedly till the decide intervened.
“Mr Kosiah, an argument doesn’t get higher by repeating it.”
The attraction continues subsequent week.
This story was a collaboration with New Narratives as a part of its West Africa Justice Reporting Venture.
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