War Crimes Trial Reporting

Liberia’s Army Formally Apologizes for War-Era Crimes as Lutheran Church Massacre Survivors Demand Legislators Pass Bill to Establish War Crimes Court

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives  Summary: SINKOR, Monrovia -Victims and survivors of the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church massacre, one of the bloodiest atrocities of Liberia’s 14-year civil conflict, had expected that by the time of their 36th commemoration, the court to try those accused of war crimes would be preparing to get…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

 Ex-President Sirleaf Backs Specialized Anti-Corruption Court, Urges Boakai to Address “the Several Scandals That Plague the Society” 

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia’s and Africa’s first democratically elected female president, on Wednesday urged President Joseph Boakai to intensify the fight against corruption, calling on him to address what she described as “the several scandals that plague the society” while backing the creation of a Specialized National…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Senate Begins Consultations on Competing War Crimes Court Bills; Advocates Hope Outstanding Issues Can Be Resolved Before Public Hearings

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives  Summary: Liberia’s Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims and Petitions this week began consultations on six competing bills to establish a war and economic crimes court and a national anti-corruption court, the first step in an effort to harmonize the legislation before public hearings expected to…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Dispute Between War Crimes Court Office and Justice Minister Spills Into Public View Casting Cloud Over Court

A dispute between the head of the office of Liberia’s war and economics crimes court and senior government officials – including the Justice Minister – has spilled into public view, clouding progress towards Liberia’s efforts to prosecute those most responsible for war crimes committed in the country. In this collaboration with New Narratives, senior justice…

Anthony Stephens
Radio

Liberia’s War Crimes Push Revives as Boakai Receives Draft Laws After Period of Doubt

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Wednesday received draft bills for a proposed war and economic crimes court and a national anti-corruption court, barely four days after renewing the mandate of the Office tasked with establishing the tribunals. Boakai had ordered it to work immediately with the Legislature to secure passage…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Gambia Begins Paying Reparations to Victims of Jammeh-Era Crimes

The Gambia has begun paying reparations to victims of crimes committed during the violent 22-year regime of former president Yahya Jammeh, which ended in 2017. The country’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission recommended that more than 1,000 victims receive 237 million dalasi (about $3.7 million) for abuses that left around 250 people dead and thousands…


Gambia Begins Paying Reparations to Victims of Jammeh-Era Crimes

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: The Gambia has begun paying reparations to victims of crimes committed during the violent 22-year regime of former president Yahya Jammeh that ended in 2017. The country’s 2021 Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission report recommended that more than 1,000 victims be paid 237 million dalasi…

Anthony Stephens
Front Page Africa

Belgian Court Orders War Crimes Trial for Martina Johnson, a Key Ally of Warlord-Turned President Charles Taylor, After Decade-Long Investigation

A Belgian court has ordered a former commander in Liberia’s civil war to stand trial for allegedwar crimes committed more than three decades ago. The suspect is Martina Johnson, a key ally of former Liberian warlord-turned-president CharlesTaylor. Prosecutors say she took part in killings and mutilations during one of the war’s most violentoffensives. New Narratives’…

Anthony Stephens
Radio

Belgian Court Orders War Crimes Trial for Martina Johnson, a Key Ally of Warlord-Turned President Charles Taylor, After Decade-Long Investigation

After more than 15 years of investigation, a Belgian appeals court has ruled that Martina Johnson — one of the most powerful commanders in Charles Taylor’s rebel movement — must finally stand trial for alleged atrocities committed during Liberia’s first civil war. Johnson is accused of leading brutal attacks during Operation Octopus, a 1992 assault…

Anthony Stephens
Video

Belgian Court Orders War Crimes Trial for Martina Johnson, a Key Ally of Warlord-Turned President Charles Taylor, After Decade-Long Investigation

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: A high court in Belgum ruled on Thursday that Martina Johnson, one of the most powerful women of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front for Liberia, should stand trial for crimes she’s accused of committing during Liberia’s first civil war between 1989 and 1996. The decision by…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

ECOWAS Court Postpones Historic Hearing of Lutheran Church Massacre Case After Liberian Gov. Asked for More Time To “Prepare”  

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MONROVIA – A historic trial between survivors of the infamous St. Peter’s Church massacre and the Liberian government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, has again been postponed after the Liberian government asked for more time to prepare for the case. This is third the…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Advocates Ask US Congressional Committee For Funding For War & Economic Crimes Courts as Dispute Spills into Open

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives Liberian human rights advocates have told a US Congressional committee that it is crucial that the US government take the lead in funding war and economic crimes courts for Liberia. The advocates, including Dr. Alan White, a former chief investigator of the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, Elizabeth Evenson,…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

After a Mysterious Press Release and Bad Start for The Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts, Advocates Demand a Reset

Leading human rights lawyer Tiawan Gongloe has condemned the process for selection of the head of the Office for the War and Economics Crimes courts By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MONROVIA, Liberia—After a bad start to the launch of the Office for the War and Economics Crimes courts human rights advocates are demanding President…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Government Asks ECOWAS Court to Dismiss Lutheran Massacre Case

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives In a hearing at the Ecowas Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, the Liberian government has asked the court to dismiss a $US1.5 million lawsuit accusing it of dereliction of duty by not investigating and prosecuting those responsible for the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church massacre in Monrovia, committed by…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

UN Receives Boakai’s Letter Requesting War and Economic Crimes Courts Support as Major Donors Express Concern Over Process for Appointment of Courts Chief

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives Monrovia – President Joseph Boakai has taken the first step in inviting international support for the establishment of Liberia’s War and Economic Crimes Courts by sending a letter to António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary General, requesting financial and technical assistance for the courts. Requesting UN support is a crucial…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Finland Awards More Than $US426,000 in Compensation to Acquitted Sierra Leonean Warlord Massaquoi

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives The Finnish government has awarded €390,000 ($US426,00) in compensation to Gibril Massaquoi, the former Sierra Leonean rebel leader acquitted in January of war crimes and crimes against humanity prosecutors said he committed during Liberia’s second civil war between 1999-2003. The payment covers Mr. Massaquoi’s loss of liberty and income during the…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa