Liberia/ICC – Charles Taylor trial

Taylor says ICC charges are lies

Article published on the 2009-07-14 Latest update 2009-07-14 14:00 TU

Charles Taylor at the ICC a day before taking the stand, 13 July 2009
(Photo: Reuters)

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor dubbed charges against him "incredible" at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Tuesday. Taking the stand for the first time, he said charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity are false. He faces 11 charges, for murder, rape, enlisting child soldiers, enslavement and pillaging during the war in his country from 1989 to 2003.

“It is quite incredible that such descriptions of me would come about,” he told the court, reacting to categorisations of him as a torturer and rapist.

“[It is] very unfortunate that the prosecution, because of disinformation, misinformation, lies, rumours, would associate me with such titles, or descriptions,” he added. “I am none of those, have never been, and will never be, whether they think so or not.”

Taylor insisted he is a family man, who has “fought all my life to do what I thought was right in the interest of justice and fair play.”

The trial started in January 2008 and his lawyer addressed the court yesterday. 

Taylor is accused of army, training and controlling the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which invaded neighbouring Sierra Leone in 1991, sparking a ten-year civil war.

In court, Taylor denied any involvement with the RUF, led by Foday Sankoh, in its invasion of Sierra Leone.

“I Charles Ghankay Taylor, never, ever, at any time, knowingly assist Foday Sankoh in the invasion of Sierra Leone,” he told the court. He also denied any prior knowledge of the invasion.

Taylor’s testimony is expected to last six to eight weeks. The defence has a list of 249 potential witnesses. A verdict is expected next year.