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By Christo Johnson

FREETOWN, June 5 (Reuters) - The oft-adjourned murder trial of dozens of Sierra Leonean rebels and their leader Foday Sankoh moved to the high court on Wednesday but was again adjourned and the prosecution said it wanted more people indicted.

Most charges against Sankoh and 49 supporters relate to the deaths of 20 protesters outside his house in the capital Freetown in May 2000 after his fighters defied a peace accord.

Sankoh has been in detention ever since, while British and United Nations forces helped end a civil war which ravaged the diamond-rich West African country for over a decade, paving the way for landmark elections last month.

No plea was taken at Wednesday's court hearing and -- although present in court -- the 12-member jury was not sworn in. Judge Patrick Hamilton adjourned the trial for five weeks until July 10.

"We are looking into this indictment. We do not want to rush into this, as we are going to add 14 other people," the director of public prosecutions, Brima Kebbie, told Reuters in the court.

Sankoh first appeared before a lower court to face murder charges in early March, but the case has been adjourned several times partly due to problems finding a defence lawyer.

Nigerian lawyer Edo Okanya has volunteered to defend Sankoh but has yet to receive accreditation to work as a lawyer in Sierra Leone and Sankoh has not recognised him as his counsel.

"I don't know this lawyer, I am planning to get my own lawyer," Sankoh told Reuters, looking dishevelled and thin, his hair twisted in dreadlocks.

U.N. human rights representatives were in court and spoke briefly with Sankoh, who was detained without trial at a secret location for nearly two years under emergency laws until his court appearance in March.

Sankoh protested his innocence of the murder charges at another hearing later in March, but his declaration did not count as a formal plea because the trial was again adjourned.

Murder can carry the death penalty in Sierra Leone, although government officials have said the present trial would not affect any charges brought under a special court set up with international help to try ringleaders in the worst war crimes.

Sankoh and his Revolutionary United Front (RUF) followers stand accused of brutalising civilians, raping women and hacking off people's hands and feet.

Around 70 renegade soldiers who once supported a military junta and joined the self-styled "West Side Boys" militia are due in court on Thursday to face charges of murder and robbery. Nampa-Reuters