Credit: ©ICC-CPI /   Bosco Ntaganda during the delivering of the judgment of ICC Trial Chamber VI at the seat of the Court in The Hague (The Netherlands) on 8 July 2019.

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The International Criminal Court Monday found  former rebel Bosco Ntaganda guilty, beyond reasonable doubt, of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Trial Chamber VI, composed of Judge Robert Fremr, Presiding Judge, Judge Kuniko Ozaki and Judge Chang-ho Chung, announced its judgment during a public hearing held in Courtroom I at the seat of the Court in The Hague (The Netherlands). Ntaganda, nicknamed “Terminator”, was convicted on the multiple counts including murder, rape, sexual slavery and using child soldiers. The 46-year-old former rebel has been involved in numerous armed conflicts in both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Trial Chamber VI found that the Union des Patriotes Congolais [Union of Congolese Patriots] (UPC) and its military wing, the Forces Patriotiques pour la Libération du Congo [Patriotic Force for the Liberation of Congo] (FPLC), were at all times involved in at least one non-international armed conflict with an opposing party, in Ituri, district of the DRC from on or about 6 August 2002 to on or about 31 December 2003.

In order to determine Ntaganda’s sentence in this case, the Chamber will receive submissions from the parties and participants regarding the possible sentence, and will schedule a separate hearing, to receive evidence and address matters related to sentencing, according to the ICC. Pending the decision on sentencing, Mr Ntaganda continues to be detained.

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda On Ntaganda Guilty Verdict:

#ICC Prosecutor #FatouBensouda on #Ntaganda guilty verdict pic.twitter.com/f3GYiJamZE

— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) July 9, 2019