Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has again boycotted his war crimes trial in The Netherlands and his lawyer has asked for permission to appeal over the judges’ decision to reject his final written summary of the defence case.
Judges briefly reopened the trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone today but Mr Taylor and his lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths, were not in the courtroom and presiding judge Teresa Doherty quickly adjourned the case until Friday.
Mr Griffiths stormed out of court yesterday after judges refused to accept his 600-page written summary of the defence case because he filed it 20 days too late.
Mr Taylor's three-year trial for allegedly arming and supporting murderous Sierra Leone rebels is drawing to a close, with a verdict expected later this year.
Mr Taylor, the first former African head of state to be tried by an international court, has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, torture and using child soldiers.
Prosecutors allege he armed and supported brutal rebels responsible for many of the worst atrocities of Sierra Leone's civil war, which left tens of thousands dead and many more mutilated after enemy fighters hacked off their limbs, noses or lips.
Mr Taylor, however, in months testifying on his own behalf, cast himself as a statesman who tried to pacify Western Africa. He boycotted the opening of his trial in June 2007 and fired his defence team, saying he had not had enough time to prepare his defence. The trial got under way again six months later with the first witness.
Agencies