Trial of warlord Bosco Ntaganda continues at the ICC

By

Sylvain Muyali

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is satisfied with the opening of the trial of former warlord Bosco Ntaganda at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. The government’s spokesperson Lambert Mende on Thursday stated in the aftermath of initial proceedings that legal action will contribute to rolling back impunity.

We are satisfied with the continuation of the series of lawsuits against warlords who have decimated eastern DRC as well as the northern part. We believe that every time a warlord is in front of national and international justice, impunity is receding and that it is the rule of law that wins” said Lambert Mende.

Bosco Ntaganda is on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in 2002 and 2003 in Ituri in the eastern part of the DRC. The former rebel leader is accused of rape and recruitment of child soldiers.

The prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda at the trial stated that “Bosco Ntaganda has been one of the main architects of the violence that devastated the north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 and 2003.”

Prior to being committed to trial at the ICC Ntaganda has been associated with other rebellions that operated in eastern Congo. He has been one of the leaders of the former M23 which held several localities in North Kivu before being defeated by UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO and the Congolese Armed Forces, FARDC.

Asked about the charges against Bosco Ntaganda for that period, Lambert Mende said that “nothing is lost yet.”

“I think that there has never been any immunity that has been proclaimed to these facts. It is good already that he will be prosecuted for these crimes. Looking ahead, the government will advise of what further can be done” said the spokesman of the Congolese government.

The trial resumes on September 15th when Prosecutors are scheduled to call their first witness.

Sylvain Muyali

Sylvain Muyali is a Congolese Journalist, Photographer and Filmmaker, as well as acting as Fixer and Facilitator for analysts and researchers, building capacities for NGO monitoring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has reported previously for the Associated Press and his words and images can also be found at ‘Vivons Positivement‘