Charles Taylor found guilty of war crimes

A special tribunal in The Hague, The Netherlands, has found former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, guilty on multiple counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.The Special Court for Sierra Leone ruled on Thursday that Taylor was guilty of murder, rape, sexual slavery and other charges.Justice Richard Lussick of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, however, said prosecutors failed to prove that he had command over the rebels.Taylor maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty, as a sentencing hearing is set for May 16.There is no death penalty in international criminal law and Taylor would serve out any sentence in a British prison.Both prosecutors and defence lawyers said they would examine grounds for an appeal.Dressed in a charcoal gray suit, a white shirt and a burgundy tie, Taylor stood quietly as the judge delivered the guilty verdict.The mood was different in Freetown, the Sierra Leone capital, where, as one resident described it, every television set was on.Taylor was president of Liberia, where he was also blamed for fueling a lengthy civil war for six years until 2003, when international pressure forced him out of office.
Click here to read full news..