Special Court for Sierra Leone
Press and Public Affairs Office

PRESS RELEASE
Freetown, Sierra Leone, 17 September 2003    

Santigie Kanu Indicted

Alleged former junta commander Santigie Kanu, alias "Brigadier 55," was transferred on Wednesday to the custody of the Special Court. On Monday, the Court applied for his transfer from the custody of national authorities. 

The Special Court has issued a seventeen-count indictment against Kanu. Charges include crimes against humanity, Violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and of Additional Protocol II, and other serious violations of international humanitarian law. 

Kanu is being held at the Court's detention facility in Freetown, and will make his initial appearance before a Special Court judge early next week. He had been in the custody of the national courts since March on treason charges.

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