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Lawyers representing former Cote d’Ivoire’s president Laurent Gbagbo at the International Criminal Court have told the court that the African country’s incumbent leader, Alassane Ouattara, took power by force.
Gbagbo is on trial at the Hague based court for alleged crimes against humanity.
His lawyers said Ouattara, who became president after the violently disputed elections held in 2010, received military help from the French military in forcefully taking over the country’s leadership.
Gbagbo is the first former head of state to go on trial at the ICC.
About 3000 people were killed during the post-election violence five years ago.
