Former Chadian President, Hissene Habre sentenced to life in prison for rape and crime against humanity

Chadian former military President Hissene Habre 73 was on Monday sentenced to life in prison by a special court in Senegal after convicting him of crimes against humanity, torture and sexual slavery during his eight year rule.

The Extraordinary African Chambers, an ad hoc court working under an African Union mandate, made the announcement in Dakar Senegal.
The verdict brings a 16-year long awaited justice and battle by victims and human rights groups campaigners to bring nail former leader.
Habre, who ruled Chad from 1982 to 1990, where he fled after being toppled in a 1990 coup was accused of kidnapping, rapping, torture and death of up to  40,000 people. He denied the charges and said he didn’t acknowledge the court authority, remaining silent throughout most of the court proceedings.

Torture including binding, water torture and rape was systematic under Habre, Gustave Kam, the presiding judge, said in his ruling. Ethnic and political killings were rife, and women had been forced to have sex with Chadian soldiers, Kam said.

More than 90 witnesses testified against him during the trial, which began in July 2015.
Habre has claimed that the proceedings were politically motivated, and refused legal representation, though the court appointed Senegalese lawyers for him.

"The court condemns you to life in prison."

The court also heard that Habre had raped a woman named Khadija Hassan Zidane on several occasions.
Upon hearing the verdict, Habre raised his arms into the air, shouting "Down with France-afrique!" referring to the term used for France's continuing influence on its former colonies. 
Habre, had spent more than two decades in exile in the West African country before being placed in custody in 2013.