- Guus Kouwenhoven
Infobox Criminal
subject_name = Guus Kouwenhoven
image_size =
image_caption =
date_of_birth = birth date and age|1942|2|15
place_of_birth =Netherlands
date_of_death =
place_of_death =
charge = arms smuggling;war crimes
penalty = acquitted (on appeal)
status = free
occupation =
spouse =
parents =
children =Guus Kouwenhoven (born
September 15 ,1942 ,Rotterdam ) is a Dutch national who worked inLiberia during the presidency of Charles Taylor and is the subject of aUN travel ban . Kouwenhoven is President of several companies.Trial
The
United Nations issued an order in 2001 banning him from traveling because of arms trafficking. Kouwenhoven was arrested in the Netherlands on March 18, 2005 and stood trial at the Court of First Instance inThe Hague , startingApril 24 ,2006 . The court tried to summon Charles Taylor to testify against Kouwenhoven. Kouwenhoven was charged with arms smuggling and war crimes in Liberia in the 90s, for which the Dutch public prosecutors sought a 20-year jail sentence and a fine of €450,000 against Kouwenhoven. On June 7, 2006 Kouwenhoven was sentenced to 8 years in jail for arms smuggling. The court did not find him to be guilty of war crimes. Both the public prosecutors and Kouwenhoven have sought a higher court appeal. Kouwenhoven was released in March 2007 in anticipation of his new trial. [http://www.reformatorischdagblad.nl/artikel/1295678/Kouwenhoven+vrij+tot+rechtszaak.html] . The Court of Appeal in The Hague acquitted him March 10 2008 of all charges and sharply criticized the work of the prosecution. The prosecution appealed the acquittal to the Dutch Supreme Court at March 20 2008.Dutch Justice Inequities
Many believed the trial against Mr. Kouwenhoven to be ridden with false accusations, bribing of witnesses and the worst mismanagement of justice by the Dutch courtsFact|date=April 2008. Furthermore, experts have complained that the Dutch judicial team sent to Liberia in early May 2007 violated judicial form and norm, undermining the proceedings as an example of international legal cooperation altogether.Fact|date=April 2008}
External links
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/wiki.phtml?title=Gus_Kouwenhoven Sourcewatch.org page on Guus Kouwenhoven]
* [http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/eCache/DEF/6/412.html Guus Kouwenhoven: Hague Justice Portal]
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