S Leone war crimes court slammed

Sam Hinga Norman during his testimony

The leader of Sierra Leone's pro-government militia has strongly criticised the United Nations-backed war crimes court.

Sam Hinga Norman's first speech during his trial was met with cheers by his supporters but a prosecution witness wept during his own testimony.

Mr Norman said the war crimes charges against him were a "cynical manipulation of the judicial process".

About 50,000 people were killed, and many more maimed and raped in the war.

'Burning plastic'

The judge warned Mr Norman's supporters not to interrupt proceedings, saying the trial was not political.

After smiling during his 10-minute speech, Mr Norman took notes as a 52-year-old farmer, referred to as TF2-198, testified about the torture he says he underwent during the 10-year civil war.

Justice on trial Catalogue of horrors awaited

He said that he was covered in a sheet of burning plastic by members of Mr Norman's Civil Defence Forces (CDF) in the southern town of Bo.

The hearings were adjourned last week after Mr Norman sacked his defence counsel, saying he wanted to defend himself, but the court ruled earlier this week that he could not.

Mr Norman is regarded by some in Sierra Leone as a hero for standing up to the rebels who were trying to oust an elected government and his supporters are angry that he is being placed in the same bracket as the rebels.

Personally liable

Court officials estimate up to 500,000 people are direct victims of the violence meted out in the 1991-2002 conflict.

Flashback: Sierra Leone civil war

In pictures

The conflict was marked by the frequent hacking off of limbs, ears and lips of civilians, including children.

The CDF, or Kamajors, fought alongside the Sierra Leone army against rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).

Mr Hinga Norman was deputy defence minister.

Prosecution lawyers told the court last week that the defendants were personally liable for crimes carried out under their orders "as if they committed each and every crime themselves".

Next month, former rebels will appear in court.

Thirteen indictments have been issued so far, among them the former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, accused of backing the RUF in exchange for diamonds.

The trials follow more than two years of investigation into crimes carried out during the bloody conflict and are seen as a test of whether the court, a combination of international and domestic law, can provide justice.

The special court is the first of its kind to sit UN-appointed judges alongside local judges, in the country where the crimes were committed.