Twelve people have gone on trial in Ivory Coast over their alleged involvement in dumping toxic waste blamed for 17 deaths.
Some 500 tons of chemical waste from the oil industry were dumped two years ago in the biggest city, Abidjan.
Those on trial are officials from a local company, Tommy, that signed the deal to treat the waste with the Dutch multi-national, Trafigura.
They are accused of poisoning and complicity to poison.
The BBC's John James reports from Abidjan that families of the victims are happy that the trial has begun, but there is anger that no-one from Tafigura is in court Somali pirates seize Ukranian ship laden with tanks ...
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Soon after the waste was dumped people began complaining of breathing problems and rashes and at least 100,000 people sought medical treatment.
In an earlier out of court settlement, Trafigura agreed to pay the Ivorian government about $200m (Ј108m) in one of the largest payments of its kind.
The company never admitted liability, saying the payment was made out of sympathy for Ivorian people.
It also disputes whether the chemical slops were the cause of the large number of medical complaints.
The firm says it contracted Tommy to handle the waste in good faith.
Two years on, much of the waste remains where it was dumped and people still complain of illnesses and abnormal births linked to the waste, our correspondent says.
(BBC)
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