Former Liberian president fails to appear at ICC

TONY EASTLEY: He's accused of mass murder, terrorism and sex slavery. Charles Taylor, the former president of Liberia, was due to stand trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.

But the trial began in high farce with the defendant boycotting the proceedings and his lawyer walking out.

Africa Correspondent Andrew Geoghegan reports.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: It's meant to be a showcase trial, the first international war crimes prosecution of a former African leader. But it began more like amateur theatre.

JULIA SEBUTINDE: I was expecting to hear a reason for the absence of your client in court.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour, I, I'll give that reason. Your Honour made it very clear…

JULIA SEBUTINDE: Let's, let's try and get to it.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour, I'll be brief.

JULIA SEBUTINDE: As expeditiously as we can.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: The star of the show, Charles Taylor, failed to appear and it was left up his lawyer, Karim Khan to read a letter from the former president explaining his absence to the court.

KARIM KHAN: I cannot participate in a charade that does injustice to the people of Sierra Leone and Liberia and the people of Africa, and to the international community in whose name this court claims to speak. I cannot, I choose not to be a fig leaf of legitimacy for this process.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: The letter then explained that Charles Taylor had sacked his legal team and would be representing himself.

The Chief Prosecutor, Stephen Rapp, was then instructed to proceed with the case.

STEPHEN RAPP: The exploitation of the resources of Sierra Leone used not for the benefit of its citizens, but to maim and kill its citizens. The very worst that human beings are capable of doing to one another.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: Fifty-nine-year-old Charles Taylor has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

CHARLES TAYLOR: They don't have any evidence of anything. I'm…

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: It's alleged that the former warlord, who was elected president of Liberia in 1997, supplied money and weapons to neighbouring Sierra Leone's rebel Revolutionary United Front, in exchange for so called blood diamonds.

During Sierra Leone's civil war of the 1990s the rebels were notorious for murder, recruiting child soldiers, abducting women to become sex slaves and for hacking off the limbs of men, women and children.

STEPHEN RAPP: Human beings, young and old, mutilated. Rebels chopping off arms and legs, gouging out eyes, chopping at ears. Girls and women enslaved and sexually violated. Children committing some of the most awful crimes.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: As the prosecution continued, Charles Taylor's lawyer packed up and left the court, much to the consternation of the Presiding Judge Julia Sebutinde.

JULIA SEBUTINDE: Mr Kahn, you have not been given leave to withdraw. You just don't get up and walk, waltz out of here. You have not been permitted to leave.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour, I had asked for time.

JULIA SEBUTINDE: If you do, you will verge on contempt.

KARIM KHAN: Well Your Honour, I formally asked for counsel to advise me on the law of contempt. There is a breach…

JULIA SEBUTINDE: Contempt proceedings have not arisen, Mr Kahn. We are dealing with opening statements. There is a directive of this court asking you to sit down and to represent your client, which you apparently have defied, and now you are walking out with further defiance, without leave.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour…

JULIA SEBUTINDE: You are withdrawing from the court without leave. Now you're really verging on contempt.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour, it's immensely regrettable.

JULIA SEBUTINDE: You are disturbing the opening statements because you're walking out. Mr Kahn, if you are not inclined to obey the directive of the court, make it abundantly clear by walking out.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour…

JULIA SEBUTINDE: If that's what you plan to do.

KARIM KHAN: Your Honour, I must. I do apologise.

ANDREW GEOGHEGAN: The trial has been adjourned for three weeks.

This is Andrew Geoghegan reporting for AM.