Taylor to testify for 'Big Gus'

2008-01-28 16:55

Amsterdam - Former Liberian President Charles Taylor will testify in the appeals case of a Dutch businessman convicted in 2006 of arms smuggling to Liberia, a spokesperson for the Dutch public prosecutor said on Monday.

Taylor, himself on trial in The Hague on war crimes charges relating to the conflict in Sierra Leone, will give evidence on February 8 to a judge investigating the case of Guus Kouwenhoven in a closed session, the spokesperson added.

A Dutch court sentenced Kouwenhoven, a business associate of Taylor, to eight years in prison for arms smuggling but acquitted him of war crimes due to lack of evidence.

Both the prosecution and defence are appealing the ruling, with defence lawyers calling Taylor as a witness.

Known as "Big Gus" in Liberia, the former executive of the Oriental Timber Corp and the Royal Timber Co was accused of selling arms in exchange for timber concessions in Liberia, in direct violation of a UN weapons embargo.

The embargo came into force during Liberia's civil war that spilled across borders, killed a quarter of a million people and spawned a generation of child soldiers.

Taylor's trial by a UN court on charges of orchestrating atrocities in Sierra Leone began in January.

His trial is being held in The Hague after fears it could stoke unrest in Sierra Leone.

- Reuters