The defense final witness concluded his testimony today, predominantly in private session. In redirect examination, defense counsel Marc Desalliers questioned the witness about what the prosecution had asked him during their December 10, 2010 meeting concerning Dunji Mandro Konke, aka Kordo, who the prosecution alleges recruited child soldiers in the witness’s neighborhood. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo…
As the defense in the first trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) prepared to call its last witness, the judges decided on a schedule for closing the case. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo is charged with committing war crimes by enlisting and conscripting children under the age of 15 years and using them in hostilities in…
The final defense witness in the trial of Thomas Lubanga continued his testimony this morning. In response to questioning by defense counsel Marc Desalliers, he reported that a delegation from the prosecutor’s office in The Hague came to his neighborhood in Bunia town. The witness invited them to accompany him into the field to check…
Pierre Zuto Munji This morning the prosecution concluded cross-examining Pierre Zuto Munji, private secretary to Commander Bosco Ntaganda, at the war crimes trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo. Prosecutor Manoj Sachdeva returned to the issue of UN complaints to the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) about the use of child soldiers in the Force for the…
War crimes accused Thomas Lubanga’s defense today called Pierre Zuto Munji, who served as the private secretary to Bosco Ntaganda, the alleged deputy chief of staff of the Patriotic Force for the Liberation of Congo (FPLC). Mr. Ntaganda faces the same charges as Mr. Lubanga before the International Criminal Court (ICC), namely committing war crimes…
Trial resumed today with the continued cross-examination of Thomas Lubanga’s private secretary, Michel Angayika Baba. The prosecutor was unable to get a concession from the witness that children under the age of 15 were used in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) and its armed wing, the Patriotic Force for the Liberation of Congo (FPLC).…
On the second day of his appearance, Thomas Lubanga Dyilo’s personal secretary testified that using children in military actions was against Mr. Lubanga’s values. He simply never would have done it. Michel Angayika Baba said he was nearly continually with Mr. Lubanga from September 2002 until May 2003 and never saw any minors in Mr.…
Today, Thomas Lubanga’s defense complained to International Criminal Court (ICC) judges that prosecutors were not honoring their disclosure obligations regarding certain documents in their possession, which they planned to use against the accused. Specifically, defense lawyer Jean-Marie Biju-Duval pointed out that the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) yesterday disclosed to the defense three documents that…
On the fourth day of cross-examination in Thomas Lubanga’s trial, the prosecutor repeatedly and unsuccessfully pressed defense witness Bede Djokaba Lambi Longa to admit children were used as body guards for commanders in the army of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), contrary to his evidence in chief. Mr. Longa would only agree that a…
For the third day of cross-examination, defense witness Bede Djokaba Lambi Longa persisted in denying nearly all suggestions by the prosecution that Thomas Lubanga or the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) had a military role in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before September 2002. He continued his denial in the face of contradictory documents…
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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