Judges at the International Criminal Court have sentenced a leader of the feared Sudanese Janjaweed militia to 20 years imprisonment for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the catastrophic conflict in Darfur more than 20 years ago.
At a hearing in November, prosecutors sought a life sentence for Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman who was was convicted in October of 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity that included ordering mass executions and bludgeoning two prisoners to death with an axe in 2003-04.
"He committed these crimes knowingly, wilfully, and with, the evidence shows, enthusiasm and vigour," prosecutor Julian Nicholls told judges at the sentencing hearing in November.
Abd-Al-Rahman, 76, stood and listened, but showed no reaction as Presiding Judge Joanna Korner passed the sentence on Tuesday.