Alieu Kosiah

Alieu Kosiah (born 3 march 1975 in Ganta Nimba County/Liberia) is a former commander of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO) faction, a rebel group that participated in the First Liberian Civil War (1989-1996) which fought against the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, led by Charles Taylor. After the war, Kosiah moved to Switzerland, where he obtained permanent residence.[1]

Arrest

On 10 November 2014, Swiss authorities arrested Kosiah in connection with accusations that he was involved in mass killings in parts of Liberia's Lofa County from 1993 to 1995. Criminal complaints were filed against him by several Liberian victims, represented by Alain Werner, Director of the Swiss NGO Civitas Maxima. Kosiah was accused of ordering civilian massacres, rapes, and other atrocities in northern Liberia during the nation's First Civil War.[2]

Indictment

On 22 March 2019, after five years of criminal investigation, the Swiss Office of the Attorney General (OAG) indicted Kosiah for war crimes, after hearing testimony from over 25 witnesses and victims.

Charges

Kosiah was charged on several counts, including having ordered, committed, or participated in the murder of civilians and soldiers hors de combat, having desecrated the corpse of a civilian, having raped a civilian, having ordered the cruel treatment of civilians, having recruited and used a child soldier, having ordered several pillages, and having ordered and/or participated in the forced transport of goods and ammunition by civilians.

On 31 October 2019, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court listed the criminal case against Alieu Kosiah for trial in Bellinzona, commencing on 14 April and concluding on 30 April 2020. This will be the first time an ULIMO member will be tried for war crimes, and the first time the FCC will hold a war crimes trial.[3][4] In March 2020, due to the rapid spread of COVID-19, and the increasing measures being imposed by the Swiss authorities in response to the pandemic, the FCC announced that the trial of Alieu Kosiah, former ULIMO commander, was postponed again.[5] TThe Court has decided to only proceed with the preliminary questions and the hearing of the defendant from December 3 to December 11, 2020. The rest of the trial – the hearing of the plaintiffs and the witnesses, and the final pleadings are taking place from February 15 to March 5 2021. This trial in Switzerland is the first under a 2011 law that allows prosecution for war crimes committed anywhere in the world. It also marks the first time war crimes charges have been heard by a Swiss civilian court.[6]

References
  1. "Alieu Kosiah". TRIAL International. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  2. MacDougall, Clair (16 January 2015). "A Former Commander of Liberian Rebels Is Arrested in Switzerland". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  3. "International criminal law: first indictment filed in the context of the Liberian civil war". www.admin.ch. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  4. "Switzerland indicts Liberian over war crimes". France 24. 26 March 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  5. "Verhandlungstermine". www.bstger.ch. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  6. "Alieu Kosiah: Liberian ex-commander faces war crimes trial". BBC News. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
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