Former Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) chairman, Cllr. Jerome Verdier has accused Rights Advocate Hassan Bility, head of Global Justice and Research Project (GJRP) through its parent organization, Civitas Maxima of allegedly exploiting Librarian war crimes victims for his personal financial gains.
Speaking on Spoon Talk over the weekend, Cllr. Verdier noted that “We said greed, money and taking advantage” of the war victims in Liberia.
Cllr. Verdier told Spoon FM that Hassan Bility effected the trial of Gibril Massaquoi, a protected witness in the Sierra Leone war crimes trial by procuring witnesses to fabricate damming statements against Massaquoi at his trial in Finland, noting that Massaquoi was not a member of the RUF, but a part of Kamajors.
“And Massaquoi is a protected witness, meaning that he gave evidence against warlords during the Sierra Leonean trial, so he’s under protection,” Cllr. Verdier argued.
The former TRC boss further says he is opposed to how Hassan Bility and his group are exploiting the Gibril Massaquoi trial thereby further persecuting real victims of the Liberian Civil War, denying them the opportunity to face their victimizers.
Cllr. Verdier questioned why Hassan Bility, an active member of the ULIMO-K faction and youth wing chairman of Alhaji Kromah’s political party, ALCOP, has failed to push for the trial of the ULIMO-K rebel leader himself.
He suggests that Bility has a motive to ensure that a war crimes court for Liberia established outside of the country is remotely controlled as a way of preventing victims from directly facing culprits.
He expressed concern that trial by video link will not allow all perpetrators to be brought forward.
Hassan Bility and his group recently suffered a major setback when the United Kingdom Supreme Court dismissed all charges levied against Dr. Agnes Reeves Taylor.
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Mr. Bility is yet to comment on the latest allegations from the former TRC chairman, as this could be a major blow to the credibility of his organization.
