The head of a British company accused of the illegal supply of weapons to Sierra Leone, Tim Spicer, has denied that he knowingly breached an international arms embargo.

He told a British parliamentary committee that he had been very open about what his company was doing and there was no objection raised by the government.

Britain's High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Peter Penfold, told the committee he thought the United Nations embargo applied only to the military junta which had temporarily ousted President Kabbah and not to the forces which were trying to restore him.

An inquiry into the affair has already cleared ministers of involvement, but criticised government officials.