West Africa Justice Reporting Project

Since 2017 New Narratives has supported West African journalists to cover groundbreaking universal jurisdiction cases that have held accused perpetrators of crimes against humanity to account in Europe and North America. This important movement in international justice has allowed justice systems around the world to prosecute those who seek to hide out in their territory and avoid justice at home.

Journalists from Liberia, Gambia and Sierra Leone have travelled to the United States and Europe to cover trials of accused perpetrators for audiences across West Africa. They have also covered the quest for justice, reparation and reconciliation in all its forms, at home.

Hassan Bility, Liberian justice advocate.

“New Narratives, I expect and hope, should keep up the world and the Liberian people informed of developments every step of the way. I believe NN deserves a justice prize. Your journalism gave Liberians hope when no one believed there was a chance.”

Massa Washington, former commissioner with the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

”New Narratives has played a pivotal role in assisting Liberians to understand the importance of establishing a war crimes court and why holding alleged perpetrators accountable is good for Liberia’s stability, peace, security and growth. New Narratives is the “window” through which Liberians and the rest of the world are informed and educated about transitional justice processes concerning Liberia. Since its inception on the Liberian scene, New Narratives has established itself as Liberia’s premiere news outlet and authoritative source for accurate, timely and in-depth reporting and analysis on efforts to address issues of accountability for crimes committed during Liberia’s turbulent 14 years civil conflict and efforts aimed at ending impunity. Through the dedication, commitment and hardwork from project staff, New Narratives is playing a pivotal role in shaping the narrative in transitional justice reporting on Liberia. The consistency and quality of New Narratives’s coverage of events ensures that  Liberians are continuously equipped with appropriate, factual information to assist them understand what is happening which ultimately bolstered their courage to finally commit to establishing the Court.⁠ ⁠Continue to play the role you’re playing.”

The project has been funded by the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund and Australia Aid.


Door Closes on Oman as Destination for Trafficked Women

Monrovia – In separate chilly mornings in September and October 2021 Sarah and Kolu defied the weather to travel to Roberts International Airport with one thing in mind: a trip to “paradise,” where all their sufferings and hardship would end. The pair, cousins in their 20s whose names FPA/NN is concealing for their security, say…

Defence Strikes Blows in Liberia War Crimes Trial

FINLAND — The defence team in the trial of Gibril Massaquoi, the former RUF commander accused of committing war crimes in Liberia, has had some wins in the concluding weeks of the trial in Tampere, Finland. Since it resumed in Finland, after three months hearing testimonies in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the trial has narrowed to…

Witnesses Tell Court Massaquoi Killed Family

By Joaquin Sendolo with New Narratives MONROVIA, Liberia – The Finnish court hearing the war crimes case against former Revolutionary United Front commander Gibril Massaquoi heard from two witnesses on Wednesday who said they saw Massaquoi murder their relatives during the Liberian civil war. The witness, now 47, detailed the crimes he said he witnessed…

Finnish Court Visits Alleged Massaquoi War Crime Sites

VOINJAMA, Lofa County – The trials of alleged war criminals taking place in the US and Europe became very real for villagers in Lofa County last week as the judge in the war crimes trial of Gibril Massaquoi in Finland arrived with prosecutors and the defense lawyer to see firsthand the scenes of atrocities alleged to…

 Prosecutor Pushes Court to Convict, Jail and Sanction Kosiah

BELLINZONA, Switzerland – Alieu Kosiah should be convicted of all the war crimes charges he faces, jailed for a maximum 20 years and then barred from entering Switzerland for 15 years, prosecutors said on Monday in their final argument four days to the end of the historic trial. Chief prosecutor Andreas Müller told the Swiss…

Court Hears Kosiah’s Defense Against ‘Liars’ and ‘Manipulators’

BELLINZONA, Switzerland – War crimes suspect Alieu Kosiah delivered a forceful rebuke to six plaintiffs who brought the war crimes case against him here in the Swiss Federal Criminal Court on Monday. He slammed the plaintiffs and their lawyers for “staging their testimonies” and “lying on him”.  Kosiah’s anger at being on trial here was focused…

Kosiah Sat Near a Bucket with Human Hearts, Court Hears

BELLINZONA, Switzerland – Alieu Kosiah sat near a bucket filled with human hearts in Foya, Lofa County in the mid-1990s, a man told the Swiss Federal Criminal Court prosecuting the former rebel commander on Friday. According to the man, the fifth of seven plaintiffs who have brought the war crimes case against Kosiah, another rebel named…

Kosiah Killed People “for Common” Plaintiff Tells War Crimes Trial

BELLINZONA, Switzerland – Alieu Kosiah killed a man for refusing his order to carry looted goods in the Kolahun region of Lofa County in 1993, a witness told the Swiss Federal Criminal Court prosecuting the former rebel commander on Thursday. Kosiah killed a man named Musa Kpandeh because he refused to transport looted generator parts, cocoa,…

Govt Freezes Assets of Royal Gold CEO

Monrovia – The government, through the Ministry of Justice and the Financial Intelligence Unit of Liberia, has secured a freezing order on accounts of the Chief Executive Officer at Royal Gold Trading Company INC. and his two Managers at 10 Liberian Banks. According to a court document in the possession of FrontPageAfrica, the government sought the…

Thomas Dismisses Ruling Against Him

It was one of the most shocking events of the Liberian civil war. In April 1900 troops with then-President Samuel Doe’s Special Anti-Terrorist Unit shot and hacked to death 600 people including babies taking refuge in Monrovia’s St Peters Lutheran Church. Images of the carnage were broadcast around the world. The massacre kicked off a…

Massaquoi Lawyer Confident of Acquittal in War Crimes Trial

MONROVIA, Liberia – The lawyer for accused war criminal Gibril Massaquoi’s says he is confident of his client will be acquitted. Speaking outside the court at the start of week two of the court’s unexpected return to Liberia, Kaarle Gummerus did not accept this reporter’s invitation to make a full-throated claim of Massaquoi’s innocence, but he…