The war crimes convict says withholding his presidential pension is a "mammoth injustice."
Liberia’s former president and war crimes convict Charles Taylor has written members of parliament outraged that his pension checks have stopped coming in.
According to a letter penned by Taylor and read on the floor of the Senate, the infamous leader requested nine years of back pay, beginning from August 2003, when he left office as part of a deal to end a bloody civil war.
“I am without notice as to why finance ministers of the republic have failed and/or refused to comply with the law of the land as regards my annuities,” the letter read.
"May I, with respect, request in this formal manner the intervention of this august body in bringing an end to this mammoth injustice and cause my law annuities to be made available to me."
In May, Taylor was sentenced to 50 years in prison for committing war crimes; including, terrorizing civilians, murder, rape and kidnapping children to use as soldiers. He is the first former head of state to be convicted by an international court for war crimes since the Nuremberg trials after World War II.
Before he left office, Taylor passed a law that entitles former presidents to a pension equal to half the salary of the sitting leader.
Lawmakers are set to discuss Taylor’s request next week.
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(Photo: REUTERS/Jerry Lampen)
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