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Liberia: Dutch Court of Appeal Finds Insufficient
Evidence to Convict Conflict Timber Trader
March 11, 2008
NEW
All
Africa
Dutch prosecutors have called for a 20-year prison
sentence on appeal for a timber trader convicted of selling arms to Liberia’s
former president Charles Taylor.
Timber trader Guus Kouwenhoven was already convicted and sentenced to eight
years in prison by a lower court. On appeal the prosecution is trying to get a
higher sentence and a conviction for war crimes.
Februari 12, 2007
Times
Gus van Kouwenhoven found guilty for arms trading in
Liberia.The Dutch businessman faces eight year in prison after a Dutch court
found him guilty of violating a UN arms embargo on Liberia. He was acquitted of
charges of war crimes for lack of evidence.
June 7, 2006
IRIN
Dutchman on trial in Netherlands for West African
war crimes. (...) The verdict on Van Kouwenhoven is expected in June.
May 04, 2006
IRIN
Trial of "blood timber" Dutchman opens with calls
for Taylor testimony
April 24, 2006
UNMIL
Trial of Gus van Kouwenhoven to Commence in The Hague
April 22, 2006
UNMIL
Gus van Kouwenhoven, a Dutch citizen, was arrested in
the Netherlands in March 2005 and is being prosecuted for
committing war crimes against Liberians and violating a U.N.
arms embargo.
Source Watch
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The Role Of Liberia's Logging Industry on National And Regional
Insecurity Gus van Kouwenhoven's involvement in Liberian Logging
Companies: the Oriental Timber Company (OTC) and the Royal Timber
Corporation (RTC)
"Gus Kouwenhoven, chairman of the OTC, is also affiliated with other
concession companies such as the Royal Timber Corporation (RTC), where
he acts as Managing Director. It is probable that timber logged by RTC
has several 'aliases' in order to obscure actual origin, production and
export.
The illicit trade that Gus Kouwenhoven is involved in through the OTC is
referred to in the Sierra Leone Expert Panel Report . His involvement
means that it is highly likely that RTC is involved in regional
insecurity, financing President Charles Taylor and aiding in the
shipment of arms to the RUF in the same way as OTC. A Global Witness
investigation to France in late March found an abundance of RTC logs.
However, given the possibility of RTC assumed names, the likelihood is
that French imports of timber logged by RTC is greater that it appeared.
One importer admitted to doing business with RTC while another importer,
with several RTC logs in his holding area denied knowledge of both RTC
and Gus Kouwenhoven.
RTC's concessions in Lofa County are in areas close to and indeed
directly affected by the Guinea conflict. Any logging operations in this
area require significant armed protection and, by default, this means
only those companies closely connected to Gus Kouwenhoven and allied to
Taylor can operate here."
(Global
Witness, May 2001)
More on Timber Concessions and Concessionaries
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