The prosecution in the landmark trial of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre. (Agence France Presse Photo)
The landmark trial of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre for "crimes against humanity" wound up Thursday with the verdict due on May 30.
"We will convene on May 30 to deliver the verdict," the head of a special court, Gberdao Gustave Kam, said, adding that the defence had ended its arguments on Thursday afternoon.
Habre went on trial last July in a special court. It marked the first time a court in an African country has called to account a despot from another African nation.
Habre's lawyer Mbaye Sene called for a "pure and simple acquittal", saying: "there have been no crimes against humanity, crimes of torture and even less war crimes."
Habre, 73, was president of the semi-desert central African country from 1982-1990.
An investigating commission found that well in excess of 40,000 people were killed during his rule, which was marked by fierce repression of his opponents and the targeting of rival ethnic groups.
Habre, who was ousted by Chad's current President Idriss Deby Itno, refused to address the court and does not recognise its authority.
Once backed by France and the US as a bulwark against Libya's Moamer Kadhafi, Habre could be sentenced to life imprisonment with forced labour.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month welcomed the Habre trial as evidence of "the surge in accountability mechanisms" which he saw as "a sea change in ending impunity for atrocious crimes."
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