Commanders in Thomas Lubanga’s militia impregnated young female recruits, a former soldier in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) told prosecutors on Tuesday. “[The commanders] took girls and would get them pregnant, and then these girls had to leave the camp and go [back] to the village,” said the witness, who trained young recruits at…
The fourth day of testimony by an unnamed witness in the trial of Thomas Lubanga proceeded almost entirely in closed session on Tuesday, as judges cited concerns that sensitive information might be made public. The testimony was closed when Lubanga’s defense lawyer, Catherine Mabille, asked the witness about statements he gave to the prosecution early…
Most of Tuesday’s proceedings were closed to the public as Thomas Lubanga’s defense team cross-examined last week’s witness, a former officer in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) militia. The closings prompted Judge Adrian Fulford to apologize for what he said might be considered “extremely irritating” moves by the court for public observers of the…
Thomas Lubanga’s defense counsel on Wednesday challenged a former officer in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) militia about the use of child soldiers and his statements that they were used as bodyguards. Under cross-examination by attorney Jean-Marie Biju-Duval, the witness said he was wary of answering in public, and asked often for the court…
Judge Adrian Fulford on Friday directed court officers to install a signal light system for closed sessions in order to better protect witnesses. The directive came during the continuing testimony of a former junior commander in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) militia, who briefly provided information in a public session that was supposed to…
A former platoon commander in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) militia on Thursday confirmed the presence of child soldiers in the militia, and that Thomas Lubanga was the group’s leader. The witness, who testified only briefly in public session and with sound and visual distortion to protect his identity, said the child soldiers in…
Former social worker Serge Kilo Ngabu said he was asked by a commander in the militia of accused Congolese leader Thomas Lubanga to arrange a meeting to quell ethnic fighting in the troubled Ituri region. Under cross-examination by Lubanga’s defense counsel Catherine Mabille, the former social worker said he was approached about a meeting to…
Thomas Lubanga, the accused leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), was portrayed in video clips on Friday as seeking peace between ethnic groups in the Ituri region. “We must work together,” Lubanga stated in one video. “We must not tolerate that people continue to massacre other people on our territory of Ituri.” Although…
The structure and hierarchy of Thomas Lubanga’s political party, the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), was described by a former member who testified today in Lubanga’s trial at the International Criminal Court. Speaking in Swahili with his voice distorted to protect his identity, the witness told the court that he joined the Lubanga’s UPC in…
During several brief open court sessions on Friday, the defense for Thomas Lubanga attempted to discredit a witness who provided details of his time as a child soldier and guard in Lubanga’s militia. The witness confirmed earlier testimony that he was a guard at Lubanga’s residence, saying he replaced a guard who accompanied another commander…
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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