The war crimes trial of Chadian ex-President Hissene Habre, has resumed on Monday in Dakar, Senegal capital.
The trial comes 45 days after he and his lawyers boycotted the court.
This marks the first time an African ex-president faces justice in sub-Saharan Africa.
Habre is accused of crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture, and will subsequently face the Extraordinary African Chambers, a special criminal court set up by the African Union within the Senegalese court system.
About 2,500 of the dictator’s victims had submitted their testimonies, including those of Rights groups who accused Habre, 72-year-old of being responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people during his time in power.
But Habre, who is said to have prevented all forms of opposition during his rule from 1982 to 1990 by using a system of arrest, torture and murder, has refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the court.
Habre, who was previously dragged into the courtroom did not stand up or respond when called on by the judge when the trial began in July, instead he interrupted the proceedings shouting that it was a “farce’’.
The court has meanwhile appointed a new team of lawyers to represent Habre for the remaining of the trial.
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