The trial of Gibril Massaquoi, nicknamed “Angel Gabriel”, started in Finland the place he lives, then transferred to Liberia arriving on Wednesday 5 Could in Sierra Leone. The previous insurgent chief of the RUF, Revolutionary United Entrance, is going through trial by Finnish judges for atrocities dedicated or ordered by him in Liberia through the civil struggle, between 1999 and 2003. His trial started in February, earlier than which your complete court docket didn’t transfer to Liberia and now to Freetown to be as near the 80 witnesses as potential and go to the crime scenes.
In Sierra Leone, the identify “Angel Gabriel” continues to be stirring. And with good cause, the previous commander and spokesman for the insurgent motion, RUF, used to say to his victims: “Inform God that it was I who despatched you.”
But it surely is for his alleged position within the crimes in neighboring Liberia that he faces trial, and never for these dedicated in his nation. Massaquoi, a former informant for the Particular Court docket in Sierra Leone, was granted immunity in 2008 after agreeing to sentence his former comrades-in-arms. Which gave him asylum in Finland.
This immunity didn’t lengthen to crimes dedicated in Liberia. Thus, he was arrested in March 2020 after the mobilization of NGOs, which confirmed the hyperlinks between the RUF and NPFL forces to President Charles Taylor in Liberia.
The Finnish judges due to this fact need to hear from those that fought with him. Accused of homicide, struggle crimes and severe crimes towards humanity, Massaquoi is sentenced to life in jail if convicted.
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