Norwegian security contractors launch plea against Congo death sentences
By Xan Rice
Two Norwegian security contractors convicted of murder and espionage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will tomorrow begin an appeal against their death sentences. Joshua French, 27, who spent part of his early childhood in Margate and holds dual British citizenship, was arrested with Tjostolv Moland, 28, in eastern Congo in May after their driver was found shot dead. The men denied shooting Abedi Kasongo in the head, and said he had been killed during an attack by unknown gunmen.
During sentencing last month the chairman of the military tribunal in Kisangani described the defendants as Norwegian spies. Although both men had served in Norway’s elite Telemark battalion, the Norwegian government said that they had had no contact with the army or any other state organisation since 2007. Norway condemned the death sentence as “unacceptable” and also rejected a court ruling that it was liable for $60m in compensation.
Kari-Hilde French, French’s mother, said today that although she was sure her son and Moland were innocent, she expected the appeal to fail. “I have no hope because the hearing is in the same court in the same town, and everybody there believes they killed the driver,” she said in a telephone interview from Norway. French and Moland had previously worked as private military contractors in other parts of Africa, and claimed to be trying to set up their own security company before their arrest.
During the trial Congolese prosecutors said they had discovered Norwegian military ID cards, fake UN caps, and employee badges for a Norwegian security company called “Special Interventions Group” in the names of French and Moland. The company said the badges were obtained under false pretences.
A representative of the British embassy in Kinshasa is expected to attend the appeal, along with the men’s Norwegian lawyer. French, who had a British father, now dead, spent most of his youth in Norway after leaving the UK as a young boy, but returned for three years from the age of 19.
Read this story at The Guardian UK website by clicking here.
October 15th, 2009 at 8:07 AM
Hi Jake,
When I initially read this story as it broke some time ago, I could only shake my head in disbelief.
Whereas I feel sorry for these guys, what on earth did they think they were doing? Given their ages – and therefore obviously very limited experience – it is understandable that no government would have taken them very seriously. Added to this was the apparent claims they made and assortment of uniforms found in their possession. Additionally are the allegations that they made contact with the opposition as well.
Africa sees many such men coming in and making preposterous claims about their skills, experience and backgrounds, yet, when the button is pushed, they fall flat. The ripple effect this causes, although not always visible to the outside world, can at times be substantial and can impact severely on others who have genuine intentions.
I am in no way saying that I agree with the sentence passed down on them – what I am alluding to is that they have found themselves victims of their own actions. Perhaps others will learn from this.
Rgds,
Eeben
October 15th, 2009 at 1:17 PM
I could not agree more with you Eeben. These guys are in way over their head. To make matters worse for them their mates at Strategic Interventions Group(SIG) are acting like they are rogues with not connection to the firm. I guess that is what passes for friendship and loyalty among these guys.
Their attitude as reported in the Norwegian press is embarrassing. They have total contempt for Africa and Africans. They don’t offer even a single iota of contrition or remorse for the fact that their driver was killed, regardless of how he died or who killed him. They have completely duped the Norwegian public into believing they are the victims in the case despite the fact that nearly all physical, eyewitness and circumstantial evidence in the case points to their guilt.
Was the trial a primitive, antiquated affair when compared to European standards? Certainly, but all of that should have been calculated into their planning. They should not be asking for special treatment after the fact. If they did not want to play by the big-boy rules of the land then they should have stayed home.
They are just two snot-nosed little punk kids who got in way over their head playing cowboy in the jungle. Their military credentials are at best spotty as they both served the minimums and were allegedely discharged for misconduct. Why the Norwegian government never confiscated their military ID cards is an administrative disgrace. The probably don’t deserve to die but a few year spell in a Congo prison is about right in my opinion.