Nigeria, Feb. 28 -- The final witness in the war crimes trial of Alieu Kosiah, called by Swiss state prosecutors, took the stand on Friday and gave testimony corroborating the claims by plaintiffs that the former United Liberation Movement for Democracy of Liberia (ULIMO) commander killed young civilian men that he and his rebels had forced to carry looted goods in Kolahun District, Lofa County, in 1993.

The witness, a mathematics teacher who was flown in from Liberia to testify, told the Swiss Federal Criminal Court that he was among groups of young men who were forced to carry the goods long distances back to the rebel base.

Many witnesses told the court that Mr Kosiah and his rebels killed men who could not carry the loads.

The man ...