1st LD Writethru: Ex-Chadian President Hissene Habre sentenced to life imprisonment

Former Chadian President Hissene Habre was on Monday sentenced to life imprisonment by the African Special Court that was sitting in Dakar, Senegal.

The court found Habre guilty of rape, sexual assaults, voluntary homicides, massive human trafficking, abductions and torture.

The African Special Court acquitted the former Chadian president of charges of war crimes.

He has 15 days to appeal the ruling.

The case which began on July 20, 2015 at the African Special Court, lasted for 56 days and saw 93 witnesses come forth to testify.

The accused who has contested the jurisdiction of the court that was set up in Senegal by the African Union, was forced to attend the hearing, but refused to respond to questions posed by judges.

In his submission, the court's prosecutor Mbacke Fall from Senegal, asked the judges to sentence the former Chadian leader to life imprisonment.

Fall equally urged the court to order for the confiscation of Habre's properties, arguing that there was sufficient evidence to prove his culpability.

In the absence of his lawyers who boycotted the proceedings, the three advocates appointed by the court to defend the former Chadian president called for his acquittal.

Habre, 73, led Chad between 1982 and 1990. After having been overthrown by current Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, he fled to Senegal.

After a legal battle by victims of his actions that lasted for several years, the former Chadian president was finally arrested on June 30, 2013 at his home in Dakar, and charged on July 2, 2013 at the African Special Court. Endit