Duch, Chiluba, and Taylor

I thought of the Charles Taylor trial while reading two recent international justice-y articles in the New York Times.

• This article talks about Kaing Guek Eav (aka Duch), a Khmer Rouge guy who oversaw a prison staff that tortured 14,000 Cambodians. This excerpt reminded me of Taylor’s own megalomania: “Duch has clearly taken pride in the efficiency with which he ran the prison, called Tuol Sleng, or S-21, and he seems to relish his role as the public face of the Khmer Rouge…”
• This article talks about the corruption trial of former Zambian president Frederick Chiluba. This description of his dress reminded me of Taylor’s gold cuff links: “Amid men in dingy shirts and worn trousers, he was impeccably dressed in a double-breasted charcoal suit, with a red silk handkerchief peeking from his breast pocket and a gold, diamond-studded watch glinting at his wrist.” Why would a former leader denying corruption charges (Chiluba) or denying receiving diamonds from Sierra Leone (Taylor) want to dress so ostentatiously?