Abducted girls who became pregnant in the camps of Thomas Lubanga’s militia either had abortions or were chased away, according to a witness who said he was former militia soldier. Following a closed session, the International Criminal Court resumed public testimony on Wednesday with Judge Elizabeth Odio Benito asking the witness to clarify his statements…
Defense lawyers in the trial of accused militia leader Thomas Lubanga on Tuesday questioned conflicting testimonies by a witness who said he was abducted and turned into a child soldier. The witness, who was not identified, told the International Criminal Court the discrepancies were because he was afraid to tell the truth to investigators when…
Bosco Ntaganda’s days of freedom in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may be numbered – but only if President Joseph Kabila responds to international pressure for the militia leader to be arrested. That pressure is steadily increasing as the testimony of former child soldiers continues to point to Ntaganda’s key role in the militia…
A former soldier in Thomas Lubanga’s militia said he witnessed the execution of a young recruit who attempted to flee militia training. He also told the International Criminal Court that young female recruits could not refuse to have sex with militia commanders. While the training was strenuous and those who failed to keep up were…
The case against accused militia leader Thomas Lubanga will resume on Friday, March 13, 2009, according to the officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The pause in the proceedings is due to five new judges who will be sworn in at the ICC, among other functions. When the Lubanga trial resumes,…
Two former child soldiers in Thomas Lubanga’s militia this week told the International Criminal Court about the first time they killed in battle and how they are haunted by the memories. Testifying in Swahili, both said fear of being shot by their commanders stopped them from fleeing the gruesome conditions of their training and at…
A former child soldier told the International Criminal Court on Friday that she was repeatedly raped by commanders in Thomas Lubanga’s militia. The young woman said she was conscripted at the age of 13 and was sexually assaulted, yet never received treatment for her injuries and still suffers pain. The unnamed witness, in her second…
A female former child soldier testifying at the trial of Thomas Lubanga on Thursday said that recruits in Lubanga’s militia were subjected to brutal training and indoctrination that included having their heads shaved with broken glass. The unnamed witness, whose voice and face were digitally distorted to shield her identity, said those who disobeyed orders…
A witness in the trial of Thomas Lubanga admitted on Wednesday to contradictions between his testimony in court and his earlier statements to court prosecutors. During cross-examination by defense counsel Marc Desalliers, the witness, referred to in court by the pseudonym Patrick, agreed that his statements contained conflicting details about the battles he fought, his…
A former child soldier on Tuesday recounted how he shot people during battles as one of Thomas Lubanga’s militia fighters, telling the court he had to shoot or be shot. The former soldier said he became dizzy the first time he killed an enemy fighter, and is haunted by memories of his time as a…
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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