BREAKING NEWS: Charles Taylor Sentenced To 50 Years In Prison

Former Liberian president Charles Taylor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison by judges at a United Nations-backed court in the Hague for war crimes during the long-running civil war in Sierra Leone.

The 64-year-old was found guilty by the court last month for arming Sierra Leone rebels in return for “blood diamonds”.

“The trial chamber unanimously sentences you to a single term of imprisonment for 50 years on all counts,” Special Court for Sierra Leone judge Richard Lussick said on Today at the court based just outside The Hague.

Taylor was found guilty last month of 11 counts of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity by supporting rebels between 1996 and 2002 in return for conflict diamonds. He was convicted of offences including murder, rape, sexual slavery, recruiting child soldiers, enforced amputations and pillage