Ex-Rebel Leader Gibril Massaquoi, a Sierra Leonean formerly at the center of a high-profile war crimes case, has been awarded €390,000 (approximately US$426,000) by the Finnish government. The compensation covers losses related to income and personal liberty incurred over a four-year period.
Massaquoi faced serious allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the 2003 Liberian civil war. After a lengthy trial that saw extensive evidence gathering from Liberia and Sierra Leone, the Finnish Court of Appeal acquitted him of all charges in January this year.
Massaquoi’s defense successfully argued that he was under the protection of a UN-guarded safe house during the alleged period of the crimes, disproving the accusations of his involvement. His lawyers had contested the lower court’s initial conviction and sought a reversal, which was achieved with the appellate court’s ruling.
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Despite the acquittal and compensation, Massaquoi’s legal team has expressed dissatisfaction, suggesting that the awarded amount should have been at least US$1 million.
Massaquoi was a prominent figure in the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during Sierra Leone’s civil war from 1991 to 2002. Following the conflict, he served as a witness against his former RUF associates during war crimes trials in Freetown, under UN auspices.
