Sierra Leonean and accused of war crimes Gibril Massaquoi – awaiting conviction for murder, aggravated rape and aggravated war crimes in a prosecution case – has been released from the order of the Tampere District Court.
Negotiations on Massaquo’s year-long trial ended last month.
In his decision to release him, the district court said it had taken into account the exceptional gravity of the charges he was facing and the large number of them. However, the court also found that Massaquoi had been imprisoned for about two years, which he said was exceptionally long.
The court also found that an exceptionally long period of 20 years had elapsed since the suspected crime.
The court said it aims to find a solution to the matter during March-April.
"In view of all the above factors, the District Court considers that it would be unreasonable to continue to detain Massaquo," the court’s decision stated that the defendant must be released immediately pending judgment.
20 years ago
The long-term Tampere-based Massaquo was arrested by the Central Criminal Police in March 2020. An investigation into the suspected crimes was launched as early as 2018.
According to the criminal charge, the now 51-year-old Massaquoi ordered the murder, torture and mutilation of civilians and participated in their cannibalization. He was one of the leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group in Sierra Leone, which took part in the civil war in both Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The crimes were allegedly committed between April 1999 and August 2003.
During the trial, Massaquoi was charged with dozens of murders and eight aggravated rapes.
Members of the District Court also went to Liberia several times to hear witnesses from dozens of witnesses.
The accused has denied all charges against him.
Source: The Nordic Page