Tears of joy as court jails Hissene Habre

A 2015 file picture shows former Chadian leader Hissene Habre, centre, reacting as he is escorted in to stand trial by Senegalese police at the Palais de Justice in Dakar, Senegal. Picture: EPA

A 2015 file picture shows former Chadian leader Hissene Habre, centre, reacting as he is escorted in to stand trial by Senegalese police at the Palais de Justice in Dakar, Senegal. Picture: EPA

Published May 31, 2016

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Dakar - Hidden behind sunglasses and a white turban, Chad's former dictator was unrepentant on Monday even as he learned he would spend the rest of his life in prison for crimes committed during his brutal rule.

In contrast, survivors of Hissene Habre's eight-year reign of terror, in courtroom four of Dakar's Palace of Justice to hear the verdict, wept with joy as he was sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But Habre was in no mood for contrition, shouting: “Down with Francafrique!” as he was convicted, referring to France's continuing influence on former colonies like Chad and Senegal.

It was one of the few statements he made during his trial that began in Senegal on July 20 - the first time an African country has prosecuted the former leader of another for rights abuses.

The verdict has brought long-awaited closure to relatives of the up to 40 000 people killed as well as the many more kidnapped, raped or tortured during Habre's 1982-1990 term as president of Chad.

“The decision satisfies us perfectly. We won a victory today. Everyone is happy - widows, orphans, other victims,” said Fatima Oumar, a woman in her fifties whose husband was arrested in May 1989 and died a year later.

In the Chadian capital N'Djamena, up to 250 victims and their supporters gathered to watch the trial on television at their group's headquarters.

Women screamed with joy as the verdict was read out, embracing one another and shouting “We won!”, before taking to the streets and blocking traffic as they spread the news.

Habre greeted his supporters who, along with victims' relatives, had made the journey to the Senegalese capital, as he left the court for the first time as a guilty man under the watchful eye of a number of guards.

Throughout the trial, Habre has refused to recognise the authority of the court, declining to appoint his own lawyers to defend against the charges that he denied.

The judge, Burkina Faso's Gberdao Gustave Kam, condemned Habre's “insulting contempt” during the hearings.

“Habre showed no... compassion for his victims, nor expressed remorse,” he said.

“Besides a turban with which he constantly hid his face, the accused ended up wearing sunglasses to hide his eyes.”

After the verdict, guards moved in to protect the judges and prosecutors of the Extraordinary African Chambers (CAE), a special tribunal set up by the African Union under a deal with Senegal, from the public gallery.

Victims' groups who travelled to Dakar to hear the verdict were visibly moved by a judgement that comes a quarter century after the abuses they suffered.

“The feeling is one of complete satisfaction,” said Clement Abaifouta, president of the Habre survivors' association, known by the acronym AVCRHH.

“It's the crowning achievement of a long and hard fight against impunity. Today Africa has won. We say thank you to Senegal and to Africa for judging Africa,” he added.

AFP

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