Liberian ex-president's war crimes trial adjourned after boycott

[News_Editor]

Liberian ex-president's war crimes trial adjourned after boycott

2011-02-10 05:20:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

THE HAGUE (BNO NEWS) -- The war crimes trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor was adjourned until Friday after he failed to attend the court in The Hague on Wednesay, Angola Press reported.

The former leader and his lawyer refused to appear in court after walking out of proceedings on Tuesday during the closing arguments of the trial. The lawyer Courtenay Griffiths got upset after judges refused to accept his final written brief to the court, which was 20 days late.

The judge said that no note of explanation for Taylor's absence had been delivered to the court. The former leader and his lawyer were due to present their closing arguments.

Taylor boycotted the trial when it started in June 2007 arguing he would not get a fair trial.

The former African leader is accused of fueling Sierra Leone's civil war in the 1990s by allegdly arming rebels in exchange of blood diamonds. He denies 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. A verdict is expected in mid-2011.

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