World News | Paris court sentences Liberia ex-rebel to life in prison

PARIS, Nov. 3 (AP) A Paris court on Wednesday sentenced a former Liberian rebel to life in prison for torture, brutality and his involvement in crimes against humanity during the country’s civil war nearly 30 years ago.

Kunti Kamara, 47, one of the leaders of the Ulimo armed group, is accused of “participating in massive and systematic torture and inhumane acts” against civilians in Lofa County, Liberia, between 1993 and 1994. He was not yet 20 years old at the time.

Also read | The White House said North Korea provided Russia with a large amount of artillery shells.

During his nearly four-week trial, Kamara has repeatedly rejected all charges against him.

Prosecutors have asked for a life sentence, while defense lawyers have sought acquittal, citing lack of evidence.

Also read | Alexander Pisarev dies after ‘eating poisoned watermelon’! Russian MMA fighter died in his sleep, wife was treated for suspected food poisoning.

“Your verdict will be historic,” prosecutor Aurélie Belliot told the court, which consisted of three judges and a jury. “You have to send a clear message: France must not be the last refuge for the perpetrators of crimes against humanity.”

Kamara was arrested near Paris in 2018 following a complaint by Swiss group Civitas Maxima, which specializes in helping victims of crimes against humanity.

During the investigation, he admitted to being a field commander who led some 80 soldiers during the Civil War – a choice he said he made to protect himself from Charles Taylor’s rival faction.

Due to the chaos of the war, there was no physical evidence and the charges relied on witnesses. During the investigation, French police went to Liberia to find witnesses and interview local residents. About 15 of them came to Paris to testify.

Among other crimes, Kamara is accused of allowing and assisting some Ulimo soldiers to rape and sexually torture two teenagers.

One of the victims vividly described the pain and torture she endured, crying until she felt unwell and could not continue to testify. She was unable to return to court, and she texted the next day that she did not want to see Kamala again.

Kamala is also accused of being involved in the killing of two civilians and cannibalism. Described by Priort as an “active author of mass killings”, he was accused of eating the victim’s heart after another soldier cut it with an axe.

He is also accused of killing a sick woman, shooting her in the head with a rifle and forcing people to perform forced labor in inhumane conditions. He and his team allegedly forced civilians to carry very heavy cargo, including generators and food, for hours without food and water.

The charges also include the torture of a man whose arms were tied behind his back and then dragged to the floor until he was seriously injured.

The trial at the Paris Criminal Court was made possible under French law that recognizes universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity and acts of torture.

Prosecutor Claire Thouault stressed that Liberia never sent people to try those who committed crimes during the country’s back-to-back civil wars between 1989 and 2003, which killed an estimated 250,000 people.

Once he arrived in Europe, she said, Kamara “did every effort to hide the veracity of his actions and avoid any blame”.

Kamara said he left Liberia at the end of the first civil war in 1997 and later went to the Netherlands. He admitted he lied about his past to gain asylum there, including not revealing that he had been a Ulimo soldier.

He later obtained citizenship and lived in the country for 12 years before coming to Belgium and France as prosecutors claimed he felt his war activities were becoming more known to Dutch authorities.

Human rights groups hailed the trial as an important step in bringing justice to the victims.

Civitas Maxima’s lawyer, Sabrina Delattre, speaking before the verdict, said that because “in Liberia there is total impunity for war criminals” and that “it is very important for the victims that this trial is conducted. They are able to come here and testify in court.” is very important.”

The country’s postwar truth and reconciliation commission recommended in 2009 the prosecution of dozens of former warlords and their commanders most responsible for the war. But successive governments have largely ignored the advice, leaving war victims disappointed and frustrated.

The Paris trial follows a related case in Switzerland, which in June 2021 sentenced former Ulimo commander Alieu Kosiah to 20 years in prison for crimes including the rape and killing of civilians. Kosiah was the first Liberian to be convicted of war crimes in connection with the first civil war. He appealed the decision.

Corsia’s statement involving Kamara led in part to the arrest of his former comrade-in-arms. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)