Swiss court gives Liberian rebel 20-year sentence for war crimes

Alieu Kosiah found guilty on 21 charges, including rape, deploying child soldiers and an act of cannibalism.

A Swiss court has handed Liberian rebel commander Alieu Kosiah a 20-year prison sentence for war crimes during the country’s civil war in the 1990s, a ruling welcomed by activists and human rights groups. The 46-year-old was found guilty of 21 out of the 25 charges, including ordering or participating in the killing of 17 civilians and two unarmed soldiers, documents from the Swiss Federal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona showed on Friday. He was also found guilty of rape, having deployed a child soldier, ordering lootings, inhuman and degrading treatment on civilians, and an act of cannibalism.