ICC Rejects Bemba's Appeal

ICC Rejects Bemba's Appeal

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has agreed to pursue the war crimes trial of DR Congo's former Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba.

A panel at the court in The Hague rejected an appeal from his lawyers to dismiss the case.

Defence's argument

Bemba's lawyers had argued he had already been investigated in Central African Republic (CAR) and could not be prosecuted twice for the same crime.

Bemba has however argued that he was not in command of the militia after it crossed the border.

The 47-year-old has denied all five charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes against him, including murder, rape and pillaging in the Central African Republic in 2002-03.

ICC appeals judge, Anita Usacka said the chamber confirmed the decision of a court hearing in June that the trial was admissible and dismissed Bemba's appeal.

Bemba was arrested in Belgium in 2008 and extradited to The Hague.

The trial was due to have begun on April 27, but the ICC said a status hearing should be held first to discuss Bemba's legal challenge to what will be the ICC's third trial.

ICC judges will now set a trial date.

REUTERS/BBC/AyoKoya/Yinka