11 March 2011
Last updated at 04:40 ET
The final day of hearings at the war crimes trial of Liberia’s ex-President Charles Taylor has started.
The prosecution counsel said Mr Taylor was an intelligent man who was hoping to fool the judges at the special UN Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague.
The former Liberian leader’s defence lawyers said on Thursday that the trial was politically motivated.
Mr Taylor denies 11 counts, including murder, rape and using child soldiers during the civil war in Sierra Leone.
He is the first former African leader to face such an international tribunal.
He is accused of arming and controlling the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels during a 10-year campaign of terror conducted largely against civilians.
The RUF became infamous for hacking off the limbs of its victims, and using rape and murder to terrorise the population.
‘Lavish’ funds
On Friday morning, prosecution counsel Nicholas Koumjian said that Mr Taylor, 62, was an intelligent and charismatic person who could fool some of the people some of the time.
He was counting now on fooling the judges at the war crimes court, he said.
The prosecution statement is to be followed by defence rebuttals on the final day of hearings.
Taylor Timeline
- 1989: Launches rebellion in Liberia
- 1991: RUF rebellion starts in Sierra Leone
- 1995: Peace deal signed
- 1997: Elected president
- 1999: Liberia’s Lurd rebels start insurrection to oust Mr Taylor
- June 2003: Arrest warrant issued
- August 2003: Steps down, flees to Nigeria
- March 2006: Arrested, sent to Sierra Leone
- June 2007: Trial opens in The Hague
Judges will then adjourn to consider the verdict, which could be months away.
On Thursday, the defence team attacked the credibility of some prosecution witnesses.
Funds had been “lavished” on witnesses, the lawyers said.
Mr Taylor’s lawyers have argued that he tried to broker peace in Sierra Leone at the request of regional powers.
He is accused of selling “blood diamonds” for the rebels, in return for supplying them with weapons.
Last year supermodel Naomi Campbell and actress Mia Farrow were summoned to give evidence at the trial.
The prosecution was trying to establish a link between Mr Taylor and a number of uncut diamonds that Miss Campbell said she had been given in South Africa in 1997.
The Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague has heard from more than 100 witnesses.
If convicted, Mr Taylor would serve a prison sentence in the UK.
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Taylor’s war crimes trial to end