Congo War Crimes Suspect
Transferred To The Hague
Former Congolese
warlord, Germain Katanga who is suspected of war
crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Year 2003, has been
transferred to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
ICC Head of Information, Sonia Robla said Katanga faced charges of
three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war
crimes which still had to be formally confirmed by the
international tribunal.
Katanga becomes the second Congolese militia leader to be flown to
the ICC to face war crimes charges. Another, Thomas Lubanga, was
transferred to The Hague last year and charges were confirmed
against him in what is the court's first trial.
The case against Katanga relates to his leadership of the
Patriotic Forces of Resistance of Ituri (FRPI) militia in the
northeast Congolese province of Ituri in Year 2003.
The specific counts against him include murder, inhuman acts,
sexual slavery, attacks against civilians and recruitment of child
soldiers.
The ICC prosecutor says Katanga's FRPI fighters committed these
acts against civilians of the Hema ethnic group in Ituri province
between January and March 2003.
NAN/YINKA
