Alieu Kosiah was an officer in the Ulimo rebel group during Liberia's first civil war, between 1989 and 1996. He was accused of ordering or committing 19 murders, multiple rapes, and even eating a man's heart.
Crime entered the Swiss Criminal Code only in 2011. The fact that he is being recognized for the first time and for decades-old facts makes this trial historic, says RFI's John Boulden. The verdict sets a precedent that will encourage victims to testify and increase pressure on criminals still at large.