War crime charges are lies, says Taylor

FORMER Liberian president Charles Taylor called charges of war crimes against him “lies” as he took the stand for the first time at his landmark trial in The Hague.

“This whole case is a case of deceit, deception, lies,” the former warlord told the court, rejecting all accusations stemming from the brutal 1991-2001 civil war in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

“I am not guilty of all of these charges, not even a minute part of the charges.”