Super Eagles striker Emmanuel Emenike, who was recently transferred to Fenerbahçe from Karabükspor in a deal worth $9 million was among the 40 people including Fenerbahce president,Aziz Yildirim who were arrested and detained by the Police in Turkey on Sunday over match-fixing allegations.

Police conducted simultaneous raids at homes and club offices in at least 12 cities, detaining more than 40 people for questioning in an investigation into alleged match-fixing in the Turkish league last season, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported. The season ended in May with Fenerbahce winning the championship.

Emenike,according to several newspaper reports in Turkey and indeed the Dogan News Agency is being investigated over his injury claim on May -- 9 when his erstwhile club,Karabükspor played against Fenerbahce.The Super Eagle did not play in that match that his then club lost but the Police want to find out if Emenike faked the injury to enable Fenerbahce,who had already indicated interest in signing him win that match.

Interestingly in the first league fixture between the two teams,the Nigerian scored albeit his club lost the match 2-1.

Complete Sports gathered that Emenike may be let off the hook since his case did not involve any financial negotiation.

'He was truly injured when Karabulkspor lost to Fenerbahce in the second meeting and he will prove it',says a source close to the player.If the Nigerian is however unable to convine the Police,then he faces up to 12 years in prison.Only last April Turkey introduced tough legislation to battle hooliganism and cheating in football, including a maximum 12-year prison sentence for match-fixing.

Complete Sports can also report that Joseph Yobo's permanent move to Turkey may be aborted if it is proved that Fenerbahce actually 'bought' the league title.

Yobo is at war with Everton over their refusal to let him join Fenerbahce permanently after his one year loan deal but on-going discussions have been put on hold until the match-fixing allegations are cleared.

WISHING THEM GOODLUCK

DESPITE efforts of the Federal Government to check some cartels that are involved in oil theft, especially in the Niger Delta, their activities are costing the nation 300,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The government is losing this amount of the natural resource at a time that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has expressed the need to search for new oil deposits in order to boost depleting reserves.

The former Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, told The Guardian that government was aware of the situation and would ensure that those who were involved in the theft were brought to book.

He stated: “Oil theft in the Niger Delta is a very serious matter. The government has been combating them with military personnel. The amount of oil they steal is about 300,000 bpd. This is not good at all for the economy. These people are supported by big cartels of international agencies. They sell this oil cheaply. The government is doing all it can to put a stop to this huge lose. The government is interested in elimination them.”

In 2009, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Limited disclosed that Nigeria lost about $1.5 billion yearly to crude oil theft.

“Criminal gangs continue to steal oil from our pipelines at an estimated rate of 100,000 barrels a day. Theft and illegal refining cause extensive environmental damage. Sabotage and theft together accounted for more than 80 per cent of the spill volume from SPDC facilities in 2010”, Chairman/Managing Director of SPDC, Mutiu Sunmonu said.

WikiLeaks said recently that a United States diplomatic cable quoting a Nigerian official showed that a member of a government panel on troubles in the nation’s Niger Delta implicated some top political leaders as being the biggest forces behind the theft.

It claimed that the theft also fueled arms sales to the restive region while causing environmental damage and cutting production in a nation crucial to U.S. oil supplies.

DPR Assistant Director, Operations, Emmanuel Bakee, told The Guardian at the weekend in Lagos that the country should take searching for more oil deposit as a priority.

According to him, Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate reserves would consistently be depleted if no effort was made to discover new opportunities for oil exploration.

The DPR had said that Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate reserves had dropped by 1.44 billion barrels. The drop from 38.60 billion barrels to 37.16 billion barrels represents about 3.73 per cent.

The Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Andrew Obaje, told journalists recently in Lagos that the depletion in the reserves was caused by the refusal of the oil-producing companies to make fresh investments in exploration.

Obaje, who was referring to Nigeria’s oil reserves as at January 1, 2010, said: “The decrease was due to companies relenting in exploration activities and full field studies but rather concentrating on development drilling.

“As at June 2010, the oil reserves depletion rate was 2.81 per cent based on estimated annual production volume of 894.79 million barrels and the remaining oil reserves indicate a life index of 35.55 years.”

According to him, no exploratory well was drilled in the second quarter of the year while only one exploratory well proposal was received from one company. .

Obaje, however, said 59 development wells were drilled during the quarter as against 40 wells drilled in the first quarter of 2010. .

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53331:-nigeria-loses-300000-barrels-of-oil-daily&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

The police barracks bombing killed at least 10 people Sunday evening in the troubled city of Maiduguri where Islamists are active.

"The area is still cordoned off by soldiers that have deployed all over the place, forensic experts are still combing the scene looking for some clues. No one is allowed in or out of the area," resident Awwalu Manu said by phone.

Residents also reported a second blast near the city's main bus terminus, about an hour after the police bombing.

"There is a military checkpoint near the terminus and from all indications, it was the target of the attack," resident Jibo Mohammed told AFP.

"But fortunately it exploded some metres away and this led to shootout between the attackers who where on motorbikes and soldiers at the checkpoint," he added.

Authorities could not immediately confirm the second blast.

Hours earlier, a leading politician was shot dead in the same city, while police sources and residents reported a wave of shootings overnight Saturday that killed nine people, including three retired police officers.

A special security unit was deployed in the city a week ago on orders of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Anti-bomb squads have been deployed around key government buildings and military barracks. More road blocks have been erected and checks are more thorough than before to include patdowns of vehicle occupants.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the weekend attacks but Boko Haram, an Islamist sect active in the region and blamed for most of the previous deadly attacks, is the prime suspect.

Boko Haram wants to see the establishment of an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.

On Sunday last week attackers set off three bombs and shot into the crowd at a crowded beer garden in Maiduguri killing 25 people and injuring as many.

This weekend's biggest blast targetted a so-called mammy market beer garden at the police barracks. Mammy markets are open air pubs and eateries found around police or military barracks, open to both security personnel and civilians.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/245408/nigeria-steps-up-security-in-the-north-after-blasts

FORMER Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, weekend, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to shed sentiments and imbibe statesmanlike traits in his handling of the increasing challenges against his government.

Babangida said in a statement that the caution became necessary in the face of unnecessary distractions which aides and those he termed sycophants were causing for the President.

Babangida who described weekend’s arrest of erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, as one of those distractions urged the President to increase his level of tolerance for the opposition stressing that he must, as leader cross bridges to engage those who may not necessarily agree with him on issues.

He warned that reckless application of power and the absence of other ingredients of democracy made nations to be described as failed states.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/ibb-lectures-jonathan-on-governance/

NO

GOOD JOB-KEEP IT UP

PLEASE MAKE IT CLEAR! DO U WANT TO SIT FOR THEM?

THE CBN GOVERNOR IS A HIGHLY INTELLECTUAL MAN.

KUDOS TO THE GOVERNOR

.

bin gbagbo:

2006 NIGERIA 1 GHANA 0

2007 NIGERIA 1 GHANA 4

2008 NIGERIA 1 GHANA 2

2010 NIGERIA 0 GHANA 1

So you see? i am nervous!

WELL THIS IS NIGERIA'S TURN.

omamokta:

Organisers of the friendly international between Nigeria and Argentina on September 6, who are considering providing a chartered aircraft to fly the Super Eagles from Madagascar to Dhaka, have warned that Nigeria risk paying a compensation of around a million dollars if they withdraw from the game.

NFF secretary general, Musa Amadu had signed a contract with the organisers, but executive committee members are unhappy with the timing of the match, which comes just three days after the Super Eagles play Madagascar in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. “The contract provides for a compensation of around one million dollars if we fail to honour the game,” a top NFF official told KickOffNigeria.com.

“But they have informed us that they are willing to provide a chartered aircraft to help ease the discomfort of flying over such a long way to Asia.”
Nigeria coach Samson Siasia remains unhappy about the game, as are the majority of his squad.
http://www.leadership.ng/nga/articles/1276/2011/07/01/nigeria_vs_argentina_nigeria_pay_1m_withdrawal.html

NO NIGERIA WONT BACK OUT. THEY ARE ARE JUST SPECULATIONS

.

I AM DREAMING OF THE TIME WHEN THEY WILL BE REALLY SUPER FALCONS NOT HENS



.

KUDOS TO HER, BUT I AM SAD BECAUSE THEY ARE ELIMINATED.




,

Director-General of the Sports Ministry, Dr Patrick Ekeji, has expressed eadiness to circumvent the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) obstacle in his bid to send a delegation to FIFA’s headquarters for discussion that could end the crisis of Nigerian football.

In view of the legality faceoff between the NFF and the controversial Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Ekeji after several consultations had set up a committee that will visit and present government’s position to the world football governing body in a bid to resolve once and for all the incessant legality status of the NFF.

But feelers from within the Glasshouse have it that the trip will not get the blessings of almost all the board members as the President, Alhaji Aminu Maigairi, 1st Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh, influential board members, Effiong Johnson and Chris Green have all maintained that there was no crisis in Nigerian football, while also challenging the authority of the Sports Ministry to embark on the trip.
However, Ekeji has said that irrespective of the objection of the NFF to come along on the proposed trip, the delegation will still head to Zurich as there are other avenues to be exploited to make it happen.

“Well, if they refused to tag along, there are other ways to exploit. I mean, we are talking about government’s position here and this is also a matter of national interest”, Ekeji maintained.

He further revealed that traveling documents for the delegation are already being processed.

The National Council of State yesterday approved the deployment of troops across the country 48 hours before elections to avert violence, Hafiz Ringim, the Inspector General of the Police has said.

Mr. Ringim said at a briefing at the Presidential Villa after a meeting of security heads that the deployment of the military, regular and mobile police officers and other security agents is expected to deflect any political, religious and ethnic inspired violence during the polls, which is expected to begin on Saturday.

“Forty eight hours or more before the elections there would be increased deployment of mobile policemen, conventional policemen, and other law enforcement agencies as well as the military. This is with a view to ensuring that no chances or opportunities are allowed for thugs, rogues and vagabonds in other to make proper efforts to disrupt the exercise,” he said.

But the briefing was not without drama. The Inspector General lost his cool when journalists asked questions about impartiality of the police during the polls and wanted to know what would be done in such an event. He rained invectives on the journalists, describing them as “irresponsible and unreasonable” before walking out and refusing to answer further questions.

The Council of State meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, was attended by former Presidents Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo and heads of state Muhammadu Buhari (the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change) Ernest Shonekan, Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, service chiefs and the state governors. The Independent National Electoral Commission chairman, Attahiru Jega was invited to brief the Council on its preparedness for the elections which begins next month.
http://kissnollywood/news/news/1-0-1

Ten governorship candidates in Lagos State yesterday withdrew from the race to support the reelection of Governor Raji Fashola of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Led by Hon. Akinola Obadia of the Community Party of Nigeria (CPN), the candidates said the decision to support Fashola was to enable him complete unfinished projects.”

The other candidates are Oloye Gboyega Adeniji, People’s Redemption Party (PRP); Hon. Akintola Bello, Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC); Hon Oyeneye Benjamin, African Political System (APS); Architect Laggard Osagiede, African Democratic Congress (ADC); Alhaji Niyi Osiyemi, (NNPP); Barrister Bayo Lawanson, Action Alliance (AA); Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ); Chief (Mrs.) Ruth Ajanaku, New Democrats (ND) and Hon. James Sobitan, National Action Council (NAC).

Obadia told reporters that Fashola has developed Lagos and it was needless to challenge him at the polls.

He said: “Fashola has performed creditably well and delivered the dividends of democracy to Lagosians. All Lagosians want him back and we cannot but support his second term bid.

“That is what the masses want. We will support him, so that he can finish uncompleted projects and do much more for Lagos in the next four years.”

Obadiah said their parties have adopted Fashola and their supporters will vote for him.
http://kissnollywood/news/yeka_becomes_first_nigerian_idol_winner/2011-03-28-14

Lesotho sits like pearl in a shell, surrounded by the land mass of South Africa. But this tiny kingdom of 1.8 million people boasts another jewel, which is perhaps astonishing given its size.

Lesotho is ranked eighth in the world by the World Economic Forum (WEF) when it comes to bridging the gap between the sexes.

The reasons are cultural, political and economic, but one explanation keeps being repeated when you probe the gender issue, and it relates to Lesotho's recent past.
Continue reading the main story
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* Special Report: Extreme World

Historically, large numbers of men from Lesotho crossed the border to work in South Africa's mines, forcing women to step into their shoes and take up school places and jobs.

Many of the men have now come back, having been retrenched from the mines, and they face a more female-focused world.

In politics, one in five government ministers in Lesotho is female.

Dr Mphu Ramatlapeng, Lesotho's minister for health and social affairs, attributes this to the government's pro-women policies.

But more than that, she emphasises Lesotho's culture of learning.

"The defining factor is education. I think a lot of women have realised early on that they have to educate their daughters," she says.
Continue reading the main story
WEF Global Gender Gap 2010 Ranking

1. Iceland

2. Norway

3. Finland

4. Sweden

5. New Zealand

6. Ireland

7. Denmark

8. Lesotho

9. Philippines

10. Switzerland
High literacy rates

Primary education is free in Lesotho and literacy rates among women exceed those of men - with 95% of women able to read and write, compared with 83% of men.

This is filtering into the jobs market - the chief of police is a woman, so too is the speaker of parliament and there are at least a dozen senior female judges presiding over the country's courts.

These women are the role models plucked from Lesotho's elite, but unemployment stands at 43% and, for more regular jobs, competition remains fierce.

Although 40,000 women make up most of the workforce in the energetic textile sector situated in the industrial hub of the capital, Maseru, many more risk being confined to the sidelines, as men who traditionally worked in the mines across the border look for work.
Comparison graphic

What also threatens to slide women back is the act of reproducing.

Lesotho has experienced a soaring maternal mortality rate in the past five years - a trend that the minister attributes in part to a rise in back-street abortions and complications in pregnancy. With mountains often separating a woman from medical care, Dr Ramatlapeng's mission is to persuade more women to come to hospital for help throughout their pregnancy.

"They're prepared to visit to have their health check ups," she says. "It's just convincing them to deliver their babies in hospital that is harder."
Self-esteem

Across the other side of town, Lash Mokhathi, who coaches a women's football team, smirks when she hears that Lesotho is ranked first in Africa for bridging the gender gap and eighth in the entire world.

Like many here she finds the figures hard to believe. "We need to boost women's self-esteem," she says explaining that is what the football training is all about.

The football project, which works with an HIV prevention scheme called Kick for Life, aims to divert vulnerable young women away from drugs, prostitution and street crime.

On the pitch, the roles seem strangely reversed. Young women, some in football gear that looks several sizes too big, scream with excitement every time a goal is scored, while a team of male cheerleaders stands on the sidelines singing songs of encouragement.
Lesotho parliament Dr Ramatlapeng (centre) says there is a big focus on educating girls

But life beyond the football pitch is still hard for Lesotho's women, complains Lash.

"It's not just the men that are holding women back, it is also the mothers," she says. She explains that they worry that men will be displaced by "over-ambitious" women.

"We are not here to pose a threat," she says. "I want to see more women engineers, more women construction workers, a political party run by a woman - then I will say that Lesotho has achieved equality."

Fifty per cent of Lesotho's population live in the rural areas. Until recently, customary laws applied in the countryside dictated that women were virtually redundant when it came to making key decisions in the home.

"Until the marriage act was passed, a woman had the legal status of a minor," explains Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie, the UN's resident co-ordinator in Lesotho.

That meant she could not sign contracts, could not inherit property and was, in effect, treated as a child.
Raw deal

The rules may have changed, but 79-year-old widow Teresia Joele says that she still needs a male patron. "You need a man to look after you here. My husband died in 1962 and so I have relied on his brothers to look after my interests," she says.
Lesotho women relaxing Women in rural areas used to have the same legal rights as minors

Like thousands of other women her age, Mrs Joele is part of an army of unsung heroes - the women who raise their grandchildren because their parents have died of HIV/Aids. Some 23% of Lesotho's population is infected with the disease, and it threatens to erode the gains made in female education.

"I can't afford to send my granddaughter Dironstso to school even though I know it is the best thing I could give her," Mrs Joele says. At 13, the child does not qualify for free education, and there are also books and school uniform to pay for.

The statistics that put Lesotho at the top table in the equality game may look impressive but they risk glossing over the challenges. There may be less of a gap in health, education and political participation than in many other countries, and clearly there is greater political will to recognise the important role of women in society.

But the perceptions of many women living their daily lives in Lesotho, is that they still get a raw deal.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi have launched further air strikes on the rebel-held oil port of Ras Lanuf, in a renewed offensive.

Warplanes dropped missiles on residential areas and near rebel positions in the desert, witnesses said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Meanwhile, a rebel spokesman said a representative for Col Gaddafi had offered to hold talks on his exit.

The rebels rejected the offer, the spokesman said.
Continue reading the main story
Analysis
image of Jon Leyne Jon Leyne BBC News, Benghazi

Opposition sources in Benghazi have told the BBC that approaches were made by officials close to Colonel Gaddafi about allowing him to stand down and have safe passage through the country.

According to one reliable source close to the opposition leadership, the approaches were made first by Gaddafi's loyalists here in Benghazi and then by an official, also close to Colonel Gaddafi, calling from Tripoli.

The idea was for the people's assembly to be reconvened and, under that, to allow Colonel Gaddafi to stand down and leave the country with safe passage for him and his family.

No formal approach was made and no formal response was made back from the interim national council which represents the opposition.

However, opposition figures have made it very clear they are not interested in any deal and in any discussions until there is a ceasefire and Colonel Gaddafi stands down.

Opposition figures have said they believe this is just an attempt to divide the opposition. They don't believe it is a serious offer by Colonel Gaddafi.

A member of the rebel Transitional National Council, Jalal al-Gallal, told the BBC: "To leave is one thing, but not to be prosecuted at a further date is not acceptable."
'Significant gains'

There has been no comment from Col Gaddafi's government on the rebels' statement, but the Libyan leader has refused to cede power in the past.

He argues that he has no official position, and therefore it is impossible for him to resign.

The BBC's Wyre Davies, in Tripoli, says Col Gaddafi's side believe they are making significant military gains, consolidating their hold on western Libya.

On Monday, pro-Gaddafi forces retook the town of Bin Jawad, on the road to Ras Lanuf, which the rebels captured on Friday.

Using air strikes, helicopter gunships and heavy armaments, they pushed back a rebel advance along the north coast.

Under these circumstances, it is difficult to see how the Gaddafi regime would be in any mood to compromise or talk about succession, our correspondent says.

Meanwhile, Western powers are stepping up their efforts to put in place a no-fly zone over Libya.

Britain and France are drafting a UN resolution, which will be debated by Nato defence ministers on Thursday.

A no-fly zone would probably ban military flights by government forces through Libyan airspace. Any aircraft violating the exclusion zone would risk being shot down by international forces.

No-fly zones were imposed on southern and northern Iraq in the wake of the first Gulf war in 1991, and during the war in Bosnia in 1994-95.

Gulf states have supported the idea of a no-fly zone and also called for an urgent meeting of the Arab League.

They have condemned the use of violence against civilians by Libyan government forces.

However, our correspondent in Tripoli cautions that any foreign intervention would have to be carefully calculated, as it risks playing into Col Gaddafi's hands.
Heavy toll

The UN says more than 1,000 people have died and 200,000 have fled the violence in Libya, which is now in its third week.

Anti-Gaddafi rebels control most of the east of the country, centred around the city of Benghazi. However, the government has consolidated its hold on western areas and the capital, Tripoli, which is home to about a third of the population of 6.5 million.

The revolt against Col Gaddafi's 41-year rule is now well into its third week.

It comes in the wake of uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, whose presidents were forced from power after mass street demonstrations. Anti-government protests have also taken place in Bahrain, Yemen, Algeria and Jordan.

Charlie Sheen's people claim , if Warner Bros. replaces Charlie Sheen and keeps producing "Two and a Half Men" -- Charlie keeps drawing a paycheck.

Sources connected with Charlie tell us , Charlie has what they call a "Michael J. Fox" clause in his contract. When Fox was doing "Spin City," his contract provided that he would keep getting paid as long as the show was in production, even if he left the show. Ironically, when Charlie took over for Michael, Michael kept drawing his salary.

Sources say when Charlie signed on for "Two and a Half Men" , the original contract provided an identical clause, so Charlie's people believe Warner Bros. is on the hook if they keep producing the show.

Here's the rub. Warner Bros. claims they fired Charlie for cause, nullifying the contract.

These are the battles that keep lawyers employed.

First he rocked Beliebers with his mature, shorter do, and now Justin Bieber is about to send fans into another frenzy. The 17-year-old says he is giving his razor a rest and wants to grow some whiskers.

"im not shaving for a month so you all can see my mustache," baby-faced Bieber tweeted on March 5. "im pumped."

But are fans going to be excited for a nearly bearded Bieber? Possibly.

Reaction to his freshly trimmed mop-top in February was mostly positive, and a lock of his snipped strands sold on eBay for $40,668, with proceeds going to charity.

Will Bieber auction off his stubble when he grows tired of the scruff?

The video for Kanye West's song "Monster" hasn't even been formally released and it's already courting controversy.

While there have been reports that MTV banned the video in light of complaints regarding its portrayal of women, the network says that hasn't happened.

In what appears to be an unfinished video for the song - which also features rappers Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj - West is seen lounging with the bodies of lifeless women and holding the bloody, decapitated head of a woman. The video has been making its rounds on the Web for a few months.

Melinda Tankard Reist and Sharon Haywood started a petition asking West's label not to release the video and MTV to not air it.

"I’m not interested at all in going after Kanye West for the sake of it," says a note on Tankard Reist's website. "That would be very boring. It specifically relates to the carnival of carnage he has created, the ‘rape scenario set to a soundtrack’, the idea that torture porn is sexy. We are targeting what he has created and the message it sends and the harm this causes."

However, MTV has clarified that the video has not been banned.

"MTV has not banned Kaye West's 'Monster' video," a spokesperson for MTV told CNN. "We have been in constant communication with the label regarding this matter. However, we are still awaiting the edits we requested in order for the video to be suitable for broadcast."

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The war crimes trial of Charles Taylor is expected to close after more than three years on Friday, after judges set a date for his closing statement and final, rebuttal arguments.

"The defence will begin its closing arguments on Wednesday, March 9, from 11.30 am (1030 GMT)," judge Richard Lussick said at a procedural, status conference of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague on Monday.

This would continue Thursday until 11:00 am, followed on Friday by two hours each for the prosecution and defence to make their final, rebuttal arguments.

This is the final step, according to the court's rules of procedure, before the judges retire to consider their judgment.

Taylor, 62, has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for allegedly arming Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels who killed and maimed Sierra Leone citizens.

Last Thursday, appeals judges said that Taylor must be given a chance to make a statement at the conclusion of his trial, which was supposed to have closed on February 11 but was suspended following an exchange of words between the judges and his lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths.

Griffiths had stormed out of the court in protest against the judges' refusal to accept his closing brief, which was filed late.

This in turn prompted Taylor to boycott the proceedings on the day originally set aside for his closing statement.

The appeals chamber found that their colleagues in the trial chamber had erred in failing to ascertain whether Taylor fully understood the gravity of his boycott, and said an accused's closing statement was a "fundamental right". http://

The Sierra Leone civil war claimed some 120,000 lives in the 10 years to 2001, with RUF rebels, whom prosecutors described as Taylor's "surrogate army", mutilating thousands of civilians by hacking off their limbs.

Taylor's trial, the first ever for an African head of state in an international tribunal, started in earnest in January 2008.

The court previously said that judgment was expected mid-2011.