Accused militia leader Thomas Lubanga looked on today as a former judge from the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of Congo explained the financial schemes of Lubanga’s Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) from 2003 to 2005.
The witness identified himself as Jacque Kbaselli Nbemzeli, former president of the Tribunal de Grand Instance du Bunia. He told the court that the UPC collected money from shopkeepers “in broad daylight.”
He also said that wealthy traders, such as a family he identified as the Soto family, worked under an arrangement that allowed them to pay lower tariffs on the goods they imported in exchange for donations to the UPC.
Nbemzeli told the court that he believed the Soto family was closely connected to Lubanga, but he did not know the exact relationship.
Nbemzeli also benefited from this relationship. While in a UPC jail, Nbemzeli was visited by a member of the Soto family who told him that when Lubanga returned from Uganda, he would talk to Lubanga to secure Nbemzeli’s release.
Nbemzeli was released shortly thereafter, he said, based on direct orders from Lubanga.
Nbemzeli also suffered under UPC rule, he said.
When asked by defense lawyer Jean-Marie Biju-Duval how he managed to live during this time, Nbemzeli said, “That is perhaps my secret with God. I might say we begged. We had no support from the central government. I had my cows, but they were decimated and I regret that to this day.”
At the end of questioning, Judge Adrian Fulford offered Nbemzeli his “profound thanks” for appearing in court.
A new witness will appear in court tomorrow.
