Allieu Kondewa
Encyclopedia
Allieu Kondewa is a former traditional doctor in the Kamajors
tribe and military commander of the Civil Defence Forces
in Sierra Leone
. He was born in the Bo District
and lived served until his arrest and subsequent trial by the Special Court for Sierra Leone
.
and Samuel Hinga Norman
.
On 2 August 2007 Kondewa and Fofana were convicted of the war crime
s of murder
, violence to life and mental suffering, pillage, and collective punishment
s. Kondewa was further found guilty of the war crime of the use of child soldiers. Kondewa was acquitted of related charges of crimes against humanity and the war crime of terrorism
. On 9 October 2007, the Court sentenced Kondewa to eight years imprisonment. Kondewa has appealed his conviction to the Court's Appeals Chamber.
Kamajors
The Kamajors are a group of traditional hunters from the Mende ethnic group in the south and east of Sierra Leone...
tribe and military commander of the Civil Defence Forces
Civil Defence Forces
The Civil Defense Forces or CDF were a paramilitary organization who fought in the Sierra Leone Civil War . They supported the elected government of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah against the rebel groups RUF and AFRC . Much of the CDF was made up of the Kamajors group, which is part of the larger Mende...
in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. He was born in the Bo District
Bo District
Bo District is the second most populous district in Sierra Leone and is located in the Southern Province of the country. Its capital and largest city is the city of Bo, which is the second largest city in Sierra Leone. The other major towns in the district include Baoma, Bumpeh, Serabu, Sumbuya,...
and lived served until his arrest and subsequent trial by the Special Court for Sierra Leone
Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone is an independent judicial body set up to "try those who bear greatest responsibility" for the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Sierra Leone after 30 November 1996 during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
.
Trial and conviction
Kondewa's trial began on 3 June 2004 and was tried alongside his fellow ranking members of the CDF, Moinina FofanaMoinina Fofana
Moinina Fofana is a Sierra Leonean former military commander who was the leading general in the Kamajors militia and director of the Civil Defence Forces during the Sierra Leone Civil War...
and Samuel Hinga Norman
Samuel Hinga Norman
Samuel Hinga Norman was a Sierra Leonean politician from the Mende tribe. He was the founder and leader of the traditional Civil Defence Forces, commonly known as the Kamajors. The Kamajors fought under the supported the government of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah against the Revolutionary United Front,...
.
On 2 August 2007 Kondewa and Fofana were convicted of the war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, violence to life and mental suffering, pillage, and collective punishment
Collective punishment
Collective punishment is the punishment of a group of people as a result of the behavior of one or more other individuals or groups. The punished group may often have no direct association with the other individuals or groups, or direct control over their actions...
s. Kondewa was further found guilty of the war crime of the use of child soldiers. Kondewa was acquitted of related charges of crimes against humanity and the war crime of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. On 9 October 2007, the Court sentenced Kondewa to eight years imprisonment. Kondewa has appealed his conviction to the Court's Appeals Chamber.