Allieu Kondewa

Allieu Kondewa, is also known as King Dr. Allieu Kondewa was presumably born in the Bo district in the southern part of Sierra Leone. Up until his arrest, he lived in the Chiefdom of Bumpeh, Bo district, and worked as a farmer and herbs specialist.

According to the indictment, Allieu Kondewa was a leading member of the Civil Defence Forces (CDF) and “High Priest” of the CDF. He was considered to be one of the leaders of the CDF, like Samuel Hinga Norman and Moinina Fofana who were indicted with him. Like Moinina Fofana, Allieu Kondewa received his orders from Samuel Hinga Norman who was his immediate superior. Together, these three men were in charge of the strategic and operational decisions of the CDF.

As High Priest, Allieu Kondewa was in charge and in control of the supervision of all initiations to the CDF, including initiations of children of less than 15 years. He was also said to have carried out and led numerous operations and to have had authority over the CDF units responsible for such operations.

According to the indictment, given his position, Allieu Kondewa exercised authority, command and control over all subordinate members of the CDF.

Allieu Kondewa’s plan, in line with that of the other leaders of the CDF, was allegedly to take all necessary measures to defeat the forces of the alliance between the RUF and the AFRC (Armed Forces Revolutionary Council), in order to gain control over the territory of Sierra Leone. This reportedly included taking control over the civilian population as well as the complete elimination of the RUF/AFRC as well as their partisan followers, sympathisers and any person who had not actively shown resistance to the RUF/AFRC.

Allieu Kondewa was said to have acted both individually and in concert with Samuel Hinga Norman and Moinina Fofana in the execution of this plan.

In various parts of the country, the CDF was alleged to have undertaken military actions against the RUF/AFRC. These actions in particular included attacks against civilians suspected of “collaborating” with the rebels. Whenever these civilians were identified as being collaborators, they were “eliminated” either through being shot or hacked to death or by being burnt alive.

Such acts, which also included looting, the destruction of private property and violence to physical well-being, were aimed at terrorising and menacing the local populations.

Allieu Kondewa was arrested on 29 May 2003 and transferred to the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). He was indicted on 26 June 2003.