March 3, 2023 [Liberia] Day 24: Forced labor in Lofa
Witness Civilian 27 is heard
The prosecution questions Civilian 27
The prosecution began by asking Civilian 27 about where she was living during the war. The witness testified that she lived in Kortohun village, Kolahun district during the war. The road from Kolahun to Foya goes through Kortohun and there is another village nearby on top of a hill. She was living in the village by this road.
Civilian 27 testified that in 2001, she was sitting with a group by the road. They saw people running towards them who were saying that war is coming, war is here. The witness’s mother was in Babahun and she ran there to tell her family about the war. As she arrived, she heard someone say “Stop, don’t move”. Some people went inside her house and started carrying things away. She and her son were captured and tied up. They were told that everyone should go to Kondubengu and were taken through bush roads from Kondubengu to Foya. The people that had been captured were ordered to stand in a line. A child soldier hit the witness in the back with a knife. She managed to escape and to hide. She heard a gunshot, her son was killed. She left and went to tell her relatives about what had happened.
The people that ran towards the witness in Kortohun as she was sitting by the road were civilians. She was tied up in Babahun. She and her son were tied by soldiers. There were different groups and commanders present, but the man who captured them in Babahun said that his name was Gabriel. The witness described the different locations of Babahun, Kortohun road, and Kondubengu in relation to each other. The man called Gabriel spoke Krio, like Sierra Leoneans. She described as he captured people, put them together in a large group, and said “I am Gabriel Massaquoi”. Gabriel Massaquoi came to the village on a jeep, all his men were wearing camouflage clothing.
Civilian 27 was in Babahun when she met Gabriel Massaquoi and heard him ordering for the people to be taken through Kondubengu to Foya. She stated: “That is the bypass. When they capture civilians, they don’t use the main road”. The civilians were ordered to carry valuable looted goods. She was carrying goods on her head such as “country clothes”.
The witness could not estimate how long it took for them to go from Babahun to Foya. She did not go all the way to Kondubengu as she escaped before arriving there. The people who were captured were gathered in the center of the village. Civilian 27 was hit on her back in Babahun, when people were being gathered. The witness still had a scar on her back and showed it to the court.
Civilian 27 described that when she escaped from the soldiers, she hid behind a tree. She heard her son shouting for her, then a gunshot, and she never saw him again. The witness named some people from the group that were taken from Babahun towards Kondubengu, including a village chief. She stated that she was the only one in the group from Kortohun. In Babahun, the soldiers told the village chief to gather everyone together.
The defense questions Civilian 27
The defense began by asking Civilian 27 about her interview with the Finnish police in Voinjama in 2019. The witness recalled that she had told the police that Angel Gabriel came to Lofa in 2001, she was in Babahun village and was captured. The defense pointed out that she had told the police that this occurred in 2002, and she was living in Kortohun 2 village. She had specified the year as 2002 as it was the year her son was killed. The witness responded that she had made a mistake and that the year was in fact 2001. The defense also pointed out that the witness had told the police that Angel Gabriel Massaquoi had come by car to Kortohun 2. The witness responded that Angel Gabriel did not come to Kortohun, as she herself left Kortohun and went to Babahun, where she was captured.
Civilian 27 testified that after she escaped and her son had been killed, she went back home to her village. The defense pointed out that she had told the police that her son was shot on the way. At her police interview, she had stated that she did not see who shot him and began to cry, but the soldiers forced her to keep walking with the load. The witness responded that she was hiding when her son was killed, so the soldiers could not have forced her to carry the load.
The witness testified that she was not re-captured after her escape, and went to hide with her relatives. While they were in the bush, they heard a lot of things happening around them, with people being killed and houses being burned. After being in hiding, Civilian 27 went to Kortohun. The defense referred to her testimony before the lower court, where the witness had testified that as they were advancing towards Kondubengu, the soldiers had shot her son. She had previously testified that they had a big container of money and began arguing about it. Civilian 27 responded that as they were shouting at each other, she escaped. The defense continued, as Civilian 27 had previously testified that as the group was on its way to Kailahun, she had left her son’s body and went to hide. The witness denied having been on the way to Kailahun, repeating that they went from Babahun to Kondubengu. Her parents were in Babahun. When the defense asked her whether she had told her mother that her son had been killed, she denied this, saying that she did not meet her mother during the fighting but only after the war. She hid in the bush, and she didn’t come across any soldiers while she was there. Her parents were not there with her.
The witness testified that the only violence she was subject was the injury in her left shoulder. The defense pointed out that she had told the lower court that a child soldier had threatened to cut her ear off. She recalled that the child soldier attempted to cut her throat, but she managed to dodge the strike and was hit in her shoulder instead. The witness testified that her hearing was still intact. The defense pointed out that she had testified in the lower court that she was hit in the ear so hard that she could not hear anything from that ear to this day. Civilian 27 denied this.
Civilian 27 did not know anyone of else that had been killed besides her son, but she heard gunshots. When the defense reminded the witness that she had previously testified of 4 people that had been killed by soldiers, she responded that she had forgotten about that, and confirmed that these people were killed in Babahun.
The witness also testified that her father’s property was stolen, and his house was burned down. She described Angel Gabriel speaking Krio and introducing himself as Gabriel, Angel Gabriel Massaquoi, and Second to God. As this commander arrived, all the people in the village were gathered together. He said “Give me light” and fires were lit. The soldiers arrived when the sun was hot. Civilian 27 could not remember whether it was the rainy or dry season at the time, but it was not raining that day.
According to Civilian 27, Angel Gabriel Massaquoi and Gibril Massaquoi are the same person, he was using a war name. She confirmed that she had not discussed these names with anyone between the police interview and her hearing at the lower court.
It was pointed out that the witness identified someone other than the defendant as Massaquoi from the series of photographs presented to her at her police interview.
Witness Civilian 18 is heard
The prosecution questions Civilian 18
The prosecution began by asking where Civilian 18 lived during the war. He testified that he lived in Kortohun 1 up on the hill. Civilian 18 testified on a Monday in early 2001, he was in Kortohun, and soldiers entered the village. He and the people that he was with were arrested and put in the middle of the village. The soldiers began looting their houses. At the time, some people were not in the village but doing farm work in the bush. Everyone in the village was gathered and they were forced to go towards Foya. The people were carrying things on top of their heads and were beaten by the soldiers. They went through Kailahun 1 and Kondubengu on their way to Foya.
They arrived in Foya the next night with the loads still on their heads. The soldiers put them in an old, large store. The next morning, Civilian 18 and others were taken to another location where another group of people had been captured. On the way to Foya, the soldiers set houses on fire. Inside the store in Foya, all the people from Kortohun were ordered outside. They were asked if there were any soldiers among them, to which they responded that they were all civilians. Civilian 18 was taken somewhere and saw a man wearing soldier clothes. There were many soldiers, but the witness could remember their leader. As he was standing in the middle, he said that he was Angel Gabriel, Next to God and the leader of the group. He ordered them to return to the old store and stay there until he decided what to do. When they were inside the store, people came and told him that two people from his village had been killed, including his wife.
The witness testified that when they were inside the store, the soldiers allowed them outside in the afternoons to look for food. After two days of being in Foya, he and his friend escaped without wearing shirts or footwear. On the second day, they were sent to look for food for the people captured from Kortohun. His friend knew how to speak Kissi, so they were able to escape.
Civilian 18 testified that the soldiers that came to their village spoke Krio and some spoke Mende, the witness himself could understand a bit of both. He could remember that the day was a Monday, because on Mondays they had the market in Kolahun and that day, some people had already left to go there. The goods they were forced to carry included mattresses, rice and cutlasses. Many people, men and women, had to carry them, and he could not estimate how many. The soldiers set houses on fire, approximately seven houses in Kortohun 1 were burned down.
The leader of the group whom they met in the center of Foya was called Angel Gabriel, Gibril Massaquoi. The witness heard the man use both names himself, he heard him speak while the villagers were captured in a group together. Angel Gabriel spoke Krio. In Foya, people were gathered in a group, Angel Gabriel stood in front of them and introduced himself.
Civilian 18 did not know what happened to the looted goods that they carried to Foya. The two people that came to tell them about the villagers who had been killed were also from Kortohun 1, the witness and others had gotten to Foya before them. The witness testified that they passed people in Kondubengu and Kiantahun, but these other people did not join the group on the way to Foya.
The soldiers that came to Kortohun 1 were RUF, as “only the RUF spoke Krio”. There had been fighting near the village already before that day, in Foya district, Kolahun district and other places. Government forces and LURD were fighting at the time. The witness did not know whether the RUF was on the government’s or rebels’ side but saw them in the village.
Civilian 18 could not remember in which month the event took place. Gibril Massaquoi told them that he was leading the RUF. The witness named a few people that were with him in the group that walked from Kortohun 1 to Foya. They had no village chief at the time, but the witness named the previous chief.
He did not know whether Angel Gabriel was aware that they were carrying goods on top of their heads to Foya. The soldiers did not tell them anything, only ordered them to put the things on their heads and walk.
The defense questions Civilian 18
The defense began by asking whether Civilian 18 had spoken with anyone about the name Gibril Massaquoi since his last hearing in court. The witness could not recall doing so. The defense pointed out that he had not mentioned the name Gibril Massaquoi in the lower court or at his police interview. The witness stated that he thought he had done so.
The defense referred to his police interview, where the witness had said that it was a Monday morning on 16 August 2002, about ten o’clock, when the soldiers came to Kortohun 1. He confirmed that it was indeed in the morning but was not sure about the date. However, he was sure that he had said 2001, not 2002. The defense asked him how he could remember the date so well in his police interview but not in court. Civilian 18 responded: “You know when you come from war, your mind cannot be set. At times we say things and forget”. The witness could not remember the date, nor whether he had spoken about it with anyone else. He testified that he knows many people who have the same name as Civilian 45, but not one that lives in Kortohun 1. Civilian 18 could not remember discussing the date of the event with this person. Civilian 18 had not travelled from Lofa to the hearing with Civilian 45 and did not know if they had stayed in the same accommodation before the hearing.
In connection with this event, the witness did not know about the death of any other people besides those he had previously mentioned. The defense pointed out that Civilian 18 had told the lower court that when the soldiers shot his wife, the bullet went through a baby’s arm and the baby still has a scar. He confirmed this, and stated that the child is still alive. The other woman who had died with the witness’s wife was his sister. She was with his wife making palm oil in the bush when the soldiers came. The women tried to run away and were shot by the soldiers. Civilian 18 had told the police about their death, but had not mentioned that they were his wife and sister since the police did not ask about his relationship with them.
Civilian 18 testified that he met Angel Gabriel on his second day in Foya. The defense pointed out that Civilian 18 had told the Finnish police that when they arrived in Foya, Angel Gabriel ordered for them to be imprisoned in the store. The witness did not recall saying so. The leader of the soldiers who came to the village was called Edward. He took the villagers to Foya. The soldiers were dressed in different ways, some in soldier clothes and some in civilian clothes. Civilian 18 did not know whether they had a base in Foya. The defense pointed out that the witness had told the lower court that there was a large house in Foya on the main street, which was the soldiers’ base. Civilian 18 denied saying that this building was a base.
The witness then testified about how he was put in touch with the Finnish police, through some people that came to his village. The first people who arrived were black. They came one afternoon. The witness could not remember what year it was. After that, a second group of people, who were white, came to the village. Civilian 18 could not estimate how long after the first visit the second group of people came. He could not recall the names of the people that came to his village. He had heard of Employee 1, but was not sure where from. When the second group arrived, they asked if anyone in the village had anything happen to them during the war and he had put his hand up. They asked him questions which he answered. Civilian 18 could not recall a village meeting that discussed this second group of white people coming to the village. He testified that they have village meetings almost every month.
It was pointed out that the witness did not identify anyone from the series of photographs presented to him at his police interview.
Witness Civilian 45 is heard
The prosecution questions Civilian 45
The prosecution began by asking about where Civilian 45 lived during the war. Civilian 45 testified that he lived in Lofa county, Kolahun district, in Kortohun village. Kortohun village was located near Foya, and shared a border with Kissi tribes in the area. The witness testified that around 2001, he saw armed men entering his village. As these men entered, they called everyone to the center of the village. When the villagers had been gathered, they began looting belongings from their houses. People were put in a line, looted goods were placed on their heads, and houses were lit on fire. The armed men took them to Kailahun and placed them in the center of the village. The armed men then went to Kailahun 2, which was located close by. The same occurred there, as the group looted goods, captured people, put the looted goods on their heads and burned houses. The group was then taken to Kondubengu, where they were held until 9 pm. They continued towards Foya and arrived there around 2 am the next day. The witness described how the men captured three women: one was 9 years old, the other was older, and the third was pregnant. The girls were taken to the commander in Foya. The men then began beating and torturing Civilian 45 and others. Civilian 45 and another person were held in the same room and the men began “using” the girls that they had captured. Two girls survived, but one, who was in her third month of pregnancy, did not survive. Civilian 45 spent four days in Foya before being released.
The witness then described the location of his village, in relation to Kailahun, Kondubengu and Foya. He described a road in Kortohun that splits the village in two, and leads to Keilahun, through Kondubengu and to Foya. Civilian 45 clarified that he was on a hill during the events and because of this incident came down from the hill. He could not specify when exactly the events occurred as “we were in a critical time at the time, it was a war”. The witness described the armed men that entered his village as RUF soldiers, because they were speaking Krio, Mende and Temne. They had a leader called Nathan Kpeh. The goods that the villagers were forced to carry included sewing machines, mattresses, ducks and chickens. He described how the soldiers forced people to carry their own looted property. The soldiers told the civilians to carry the goods to Foya, because their commander was located there. The commander in Foya was called Gibril Massaquoi.
Civilian 45 learned the name of Gibril Massaquoi when the soldiers took the group before him and he introduced himself. He was speaking Krio and other languages. The witness explained that they could not look him in the face as he was so high-ranking. He used a war name, Angel Gabriel, and told the captured people that he was Angel Michael, an angel of God, and that if he says you live, you live. His soldiers called him CO Massaquoi, CO Gibril, CO Gabriel. Civilian 45 only saw Gibril Massaquoi once in Foya. He was taken before him and Massaquoi sentenced them to jail. They were told to set the looted goods on the ground before Massaquoi was called in.
The witness clarified that the girls he had previously mentioned were raped by the soldiers, and one of them died because of this. This was done by RUF soldiers. During the time they were in Foya these soldiers would beat them, and they would plead with them to let them go. After four days, they were put in the hands of the commissioner of Foya, Dennis Armah. Dennis Armah then released Civilian 45 with the others.
The defense questions Civilian 45
The defense began by asking Civilian 45 about the soldiers’ arrival in Kortohun. The witness explained that the soldiers came to the village twice, the first time during the night. He was sleeping when the soldiers came, they broke into houses and began beating people. As he came out of his house, the same leader, Nathan Kpeh, was there. Civilian 45 begged the soldiers to release him. The soldiers released him, telling him that if he did not report to them by noon the next day, they would burn the village.
The defense then asked the witness about the theft of a pig. According to Civilian 45, the soldiers had come to loot the village. An officer in Charles Taylor’s forces, Jah Brother, was there, he had captured a pig in Bonubu. Civilian 45 had told the soldiers that he would look into the alleged theft and that he would return the pig to the RUF if he found it in their village. However, according to Civilian 45, the pig was not in Kortohun, it had been taken to Babahun. The defense pointed out that Civilian 45 had testified in the lower court that a man had told him that they would accept his offer and that they would return the next day around 9 or 10 o’clock, and if they did not see the pig by then, they would burn the village. He confirmed this, stating that they said that they would come back the next day and that is what they did: they burned the village. The witness speculated that the story with the pig had been a set-up, the soldiers used it as an excuse to come to the village and do whatever they wanted.
Civilian 45 repeated that they arrived in Foya at night. They were brought to Gibril Massaquoi straight away. He maintained that his men were calling his name, including Nathan Kpeh. When asked about the names Commander Massaquoi, Gibril Massaquoi, and Angel Gabriel, the witness stated that “the name was floating, it was all around”. The defense pointed out that Civilian 45 had not used the name Angel Gabriel when he testified at the lower court. The witness stated that he had mentioned the name, when he had testified that Massaquoi had told his soldiers to “give him light”. Civilian 45 then clarified that when Massaquoi’s group came to Kortohun, it was them who said it. He stated: “The people that came said it, so long as they said that one, it was the commander”.
According to Civilian 45, when they were brought before Massaquoi, he thanked his soldiers and told the civilians to pack the goods and move them. The defense pointed out that Civilian 45 had testified in the lower court that Massaquoi had seen him and others carrying the goods to Foya. The witness did not recall having testified this and said that they were brought before him to report to him. He stated: “I’m here and you’re changing story, the thing that happened with me is what I am talking, I am not a small boy for someone to tell me to say something, what happened to me is what I am saying”. According to the witness, he and the others spent the night before Massaquoi with the goods and in the morning, they were sentenced.
The witness was asked about the year of the incident. He recalled the discussion that had occurred at the lower court, where he had said the year 2001 but the defense had asserted that he had previously said 2002. Now, he maintained that the events occurred in 2001. The defense pointed out that Civilian 45 had told the Finnish police that the date was Monday 16 August 2002, on the day of the market in Kolahun. The witness confirmed that the date was 16 August, but the year was 2001 or 2002. The defense pointed out that 16 August was not a Monday either in 2001 or 2002, to which he replied: “That is why I was saying the particular of dates are not important”. The witness testified that he had not spoken with his friends in the village about this subject. He testified to knowing someone with the same name as Civilian 18 from the Kortohun area. He had not spoken to him, as they do not know each other. He stated that he had travelled from his hometown to Monrovia by car with Civilian 50 and Civilian 43. He then acknowledged that Civilian 18 had come to Monrovia on the same day as him. When the defense raised that both Civilian 45 and Civilian 18 had given the same date of the events and incorrectly stated that it was a Monday, the witness stated that he did in fact know the witness and had previously denied knowing him because: “You want to trap me, when you people know everything and you are asking me”.
The witness was then asked about how he got in contact with the Finnish police. He confirmed that he had not discussed this subject within his village before the Finnish police had come. The defense read what he had previously described at the lower court on the matter, which he confirmed: “When they came they went in the town, I was on the road. They had the meeting we said something happened to us, everybody came and reported individually. We did not talk in Kortohun until we came to Voinjama”.
Finally, the witness recalled the names of some of the people that were captured with him in Kortohun. He stated that the war was raging all over their area in Lofa county when the soldiers arrived.
It was pointed out that the witness identified someone other than the defendant as Gibril Massaquoi from the series of photographs presented to him at his police interview.