Last updated: 10 november, 2009 - 18:08 GMT

Charles Taylor trial

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The war crimes trial of the former Liberian leader, Charles Taylor, stepped up a gear this afternoon as the prosecution began to cross examine him for the first time.

The one time rebel leader is charged with 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the war which subsequently engulfed Liberia's neighbour, Sierra Leone.

Mr Taylor denies the charges.

The UN- backed Special Court for Sierra Leone is sitting in the Hague and it is from there that Focus on Africa's Hassan Arouni spoke to Josephine Hazeley.

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