Final judgement for Sierra Leone UN backed Special Court

A Special Court for Sierra Leone’s over decade of brutal civil war came to an end Monday with an appeals panel upholding a landmark sentence passed on rebel leaders on February. The court had been established by the Sierra Leonean government under war time leader, Ahmed Tijan Kabba, and backed by the United Nations, to prosecute main rebel leaders for atrocities committed during the country's period of unrest.

Esa Sesay, former interim leader of the most notorious rebel group on the African continent, the Revolutionary United Front, had his 52 year sentence sealed, while his colleagues, former rebel commanders, Augustine Gbao and Morris Kallon had their 25 and 40 year sentences respectively confirmed. They were found guilty on several counts including murder, attacks against U.N. troops, sexual slavery and recruitment of child soldiers as well as rape.

This judgement that came after the three men appealed 91 of the guilty verdicts passed on them earlier, marked the end of the courts seating, except for the ongoing trial of the former Liberian leader in The Hague, Charles Tailor. He faces charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, murder, rape, cannibalism, among others. Tailor denies all.

The UN has spent millions of dollars during its seven years of investigations. And many have criticize the rational behind spending such huge amount of money only to have a few people prosecuted, when the money, they argue, could have been used to better the lives of the overwhelming number of victims of the war.