Alan White, a prominent advocate for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia, has been found guilty of defamation by Swiss prosecutors.
The verdict is driven from White’s unproven accusations against a Swiss war crimes advocacy group, Civitas Maxima, and The Global Justice Research Project.
According to reports, White, who previously served as the Chief of Investigation for the Special Court of Sierra Leone during the trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, was unable to substantiate his claims that Civitas Maxima and its associates bribed witnesses in war crimes trials related to Liberia’s civil war.
Despite being given the opportunity to present evidence supporting his allegations, White failed to do so, leading to his conviction.
The case against White was initiated after he sent an email to the defense team of Alieu Kosiah, a former commander in the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy, who was convicted in Switzerland for crimes committed during the Liberian civil war.
In the email, White accused Civitas Maxima, led by human rights lawyer Alain Werner, of coaching witnesses and offering them financial incentives and protection in exchange for false testimony against Kosiah.
Swiss prosecutors concluded that White’s statements damaged the reputation of Civitas Maxima and its director, Alain Werner, by implying that they engaged in unethical and illegal conduct.
The conviction was handed down through Switzerland’s “sentence orders” system, which allows prosecutors to issue sentences without a judge’s involvement, a practice designed to streamline legal proceedings.
Alain Werner, who played a crucial role in the prosecution of Kosiah and represents victims of war crimes, stated that the verdict is not final and that White’s refusal to cooperate with Swiss authorities contributed to the outcome. White has the option to appeal the decision.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Advocate, Alan White, says the accusation is a “Propaganda”.
