Category Archives: Guus Kouwenhoven

The Kouwenhoven extradition case: the umpteenth postponement. Why?

On April 12, 2019 the Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town again postponed the case. It was the umpteenth postponement. I nearly lost track of the previous delays. The Dutch authorities want Guus Kouwenhoven back in the Netherlands. In April 2017 a Dutch … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Taylor, Emmanuel Shaw, George Weah, Guinea, Guus Kouwenhoven, Justice, Kouwenhoven, Liberia, rule of law, Sierra Leone, South Africa, war crimes | Leave a comment

Convicted war criminal Guus Kouwenhoven on the run!

Kouwenhoven found guilty It was an historic day, April 21, 2017. I had travelled to ‘s-Hertogenbosch, colloquially known as Den Bosch, the Netherlands, for the final stage of a trial that had lasted for too long: since 2005, when the Dutch … Continue reading

Posted in 2017 presidential elections, African Studies Centre Leiden, Alhaji Kromah, Alieu Kosiah, Appeal Court of 's-Hertogenbosch, arms trade, Belgium, Central Revolutionary Council, Charles Taylor, Chuck Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Congo-Brazzaville, CRC, Dieneke de Vos, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, European Convention on Extradition, extradition, extradition treaty, Foya, General Butt Naked, Global Witness, Guinea, Guinea Conakry, Guus Kouwenhoven, Human Rights, human rights violations, impunity, Impunity in Africa, Inez Weski, INPFL, Justice, Kolahun, Krahn, Liberia, Liberia" From the Love of Liberty to Paradise Lost, Liberian History, Lofa County, LPC, Martina Johnson, Merchant of Death, Mr Gus, Nobel Peace Prize, NPFL, OTC, Prince Y. Johnson, Public Prosecutor, Quote 500, Republic of Congo, Republic of South Africa, Ritual Killings, Royal Timber Corporation, RTC, Samuel Kanyon Doe, Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Special Court, Supreme Court, Switzerland, Tajikistan, terrorism, the Netherlands, Tom Woewiyu, Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC), ULIMO-K, UN arms embargo, United Nations (UN), USA, Viktor Bout, Voinjama, war crimes, weapons, Zorzor | Leave a comment

Reopening of Kouwenhoven trial in the Netherlands

Yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised when learning the news that the Kouwenhoven trial had reopened – on February 6. Already on more than one occasion I wrote about the serious charges against Guus Kouwenhoven, a Dutch businessman. Guus Kouwenhoven – … Continue reading

Posted in 1979, Africa Hotel, African Studies Centre Leiden, Appeal Court of 's-Hertogenbosch, Appeal Court of The Hague, arms trade, BBC, Buchanan, Charles Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Corruption, District Court of The Hague, Ebola, forestry, Guinea, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, Guus van Kouwenhoven, Human Rights, human rights violations, impunity, Inez Weski, Justice, Lebanon, Liberia, Liberia" From the Love of Liberty to Paradise Lost, Liberian History, Los Angeles, Malaysia, Monrovia, Mr Gus, murder, NPFL, OAU, Oriental Timber Company, OTC, Public Prosecutor, Quote 500, rape, Rembrandt, Rotterdam, Royal Timber Corporation, RTC, RUF, Second civil war 1999-2003, Sierra Leone, Supreme Court, The Hague Justice Portal, torture, travel ban, Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC), UK, UN, UN arms embargo, United States, United States of America, USA, wa, war crimes, weapons, William R. Tolbert Jr. | Leave a comment

Elections in Liberia: The Long Walk To Democracy in Africa’s Oldest Republic

On October 11 presidential and legislative elections will be held in Liberia. Incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf faces 15 presidential aspirants who share one goal: unseat Africa’s first democratically elected female president. Liberia’s Iron Lady, however, is with her 72 … Continue reading

Posted in ArcelorMittal, Charles Brumskine, Charles Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Dew Mayson, Elections in Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, George Weah, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, James Fromoyan, Liberia, Liberian Economy, national budget, National Elections Commission (NEC), Prince Y. Johnson, Samuel Kanyon Doe, Tipoteh, Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC), William V.S. Tubman, Winston Tubman | Leave a comment

Gus Kouwenhoven on trial again – Dutch Supreme Court orders

Two years ago – on March 10, 2008 – I commented on the acquittal of Gus Kouwenhoven, also known as Guus van Kouwenhoven, a Dutch timber trader and business partner of Charles Taylor, accused of illegal arms trade for his … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, Liberia, Liberian History | Leave a comment

Misc. news from Liberia

Saturday, March 28 It was not surprising to read negative comments on the Bridge Loan, provided by the US Government. See this blog, March 19. A bridge loan may carry an interest rate between 12- 15 percent. As you may … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, Liberia, Liberian Ecology, Liberian Economy | Leave a comment

Gus Kouwenhoven

Thursday, March 20 The Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs today confirmed that Gus Kouwenhoven stays on the UN and EU lists of persons facing a travel ban despite being acquitted of smuggling weapons and war crimes in Liberia by a … Continue reading

Posted in Civil War(s) Liberia, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, Liberia, Liberian History | Leave a comment

Misc news from Liberia

Saturday, March 15 Many more atrocities committed by witness Marzah, ordered by Charles Taylor, according to his testimony before the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Gruesome details of atrocities both in Liberia and Sierra Leone, it surpasses one’s mind. My … Continue reading

Posted in Charles Taylor, Civil War(s) Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Gus Kouwenhoven, Guus Kouwenhoven, Liberia, Liberian Demography, Liberian Economy, Liberian History, Ordinary Liberians, Ritual Killings, Sierra Leone | Leave a comment