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Sankoh case adjourned

    ABIDJAN

    Sierra Leone's High Court on Wednesday adjourned the trial of former rebel leader Foday Sankoh to 10 July, news organisations reported. Sankoh was in court for the second time along with 49 supporters to answer charges of murder and related offences.

    The adjournment would allow the prosecution to prepare its case and issue indictments, BBC reported. It would also give a Nigerian lawyer for the accused time to get clearance to practice in Sierra Leone, the court heard.

    The accused first appeared in the High Court on 29 May, after their case was transferred from a magistrate's court.

    Sankoh, who led the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during its 10-year war against the government, faces charges relating to an incident in May 2000, when his bodyguards opened fire on peaceful demonstrators outside his house killing at least 20 people. Sankoh was detained shortly after the incident and has been kept in an undisclosed location ever since.

    The RUF is widely accused of committing atrocities, including forced limb amputations, murder and rape, while fighting successive governments in Sierra Leone . A war crimes tribunal, currently being set up by the UN and the government, is charged with bringing to justice those who bear the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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