The prosecution in the case of Thomas Lubanga presented several videos to the court on Tuesday, many of which contained images of what appeared to be small children in military uniform. One particular scene showed a close-up of a large bug crawling on someone’s shoulder. When the camera zoomed out, the person was revealed to…
A video shown in court on Monday depicted defendant Thomas Lubanga visiting a military training camp and delivering a speech to a large group of soldiers and recruits. “The youngest [recruits] were about nine years old,” an unnamed witness told the court, speaking in French with his face and voice digitally distorted. The witness said…
Two weeks after recanting his testimony, a former child soldier took the stand again this week and told prosecutors that he was forced to train and fight in defendant Thomas Lubanga’s militia. “We would jump over bodies,” he said of one battle. “We had killed a lot of people.” The witness said he was in…
Thomas Lubanga’s defense lawyers questioned a witness on Friday about his use of child bodyguards and how he knew they were under the age of 15. “It’s very difficult [to tell],” acknowledged the unnamed witness, a former high ranking official in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), the defendant’s political party. “It could be they…
A former high-ranking official in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) said on Thursday that Thomas Lubanga used children as personal bodyguards. “As president he had bodyguards. There were adults but also young persons serving as bodyguards,” said the man, whose exact role in the UPC was not disclosed. “When you have a young person…
When accused Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga saw the prosecution’s next witness walk into the courtroom on Wednesday, he leaned forward in his chair and covered his face with his hands. A moment later, he abruptly stood up and appeared to be patting his eyes with a white handkerchief. He was then led out of…
The former child soldier who earlier recanted his testimony took the stand again today in the trial of accused Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga and told the court, “I am going to tell you the truth.” Two weeks after he first testified, the witness on Tuesday explained how he and five classmates were kidnapped by…
In a dramatic first week of Lubanga’s trial, the Prosecution’s first witness said he lied about being abducted by Lubanga’s forces and taken to a training camp for child soldiers. He also told the court that he was coached by an aid group about what he should say on the witness stand. He’s about to…
The former child soldier who abruptly recanted his testimony nearly two weeks ago will take the stand again on Tuesday, February 10, 2009, presiding Judge Adrian Fulford confirmed today. People present in the courtroom will be reduced to a “bare minimum” to ensure the comfort of the witness, Fulford said. In addition, the witness will not…
A witness in the trial of accused Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga said this week that his 11-year-old son was forced to enlist in Lubanga’s militia and taught to use heavy weapons. “How is it possible for a child who is 11 to carry a weapon [that weighs four kilos]?” the father of the boy…
Thomas Lubanga on trial at the International Criminal Court. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo is the first person to be tried by the International Criminal Court. A former rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lubanga is accused of conscripting, enlisting, and using child soldiers. More
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