A former officer in the militia of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) testified this week that child soldiers were among the bodyguards of accused leader Thomas Lubanga. Lubanga, the president of UPC, is on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of enlisting and conscripting children under the age of 15 and…
Experts in the trial of accused Congolese leader Thomas Lubanga this week struggled to confirm the ages of child soldiers said to have been part of the Union of Congolese Patriots, UPC. The specialists in age determination testified at the International Criminal Court (ICC) that based on x-ray images, some may have been as young…
The trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo began in late January and has heard testimony from nearly 20 witnesses to date. At the end of the trial, the Judges will be required to evaluate the credibility of the witnesses in order to consider the credibility of their testimony. Credibility is based in part on what the…
The prosecution continued to build its case against accused Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga this week by presenting witnesses who delivered dramatic and revealing insight into militia life. The prosecution’s eighth witness, whose identity was concealed, described how he became a soldier at the age of 10, after hearing gunshots and seeing people running on…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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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