Credit: © ICC-CPI/Armin Taslaman /  DR Congo VP Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo in the ICC courtroom during the delivery of his guilty verdict on 21 March 2016 of war crimes. Then on 8, June 2018, the Appeals Court of the ICC decided, by majority, to acquit Bemba from all charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.   

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Wednesday upheld  its one-year prison sentence of former Democratic Republic  of Congo  vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba for witness tampering.  The Appeals Chamber of The Hague-based ICC war tribunal delivered its Judgment in the appeal of Bemba. The Appeals Chamber found that the Trial Chamber did not fail to comply with its directions on re-sentencing, did not err in law or in fact, nor did it impose a disproportionate sentence. The Appeals Chamber also noted that Bemba did not demonstrate any violation of his rights.  During Bembas’ trial on war crimes charges, he and his lawyers were accused and ultimately convicted on lesser charges of witness tampering. In addition to the one-year sentence, Bemba was also ordered to pay a  fine of 300,000 euros ($330,000).

Bemba Is Not Going To  Jail Because He Served 10 years in ICC Detention Prior to Acquittal 

The ICC’s Appeal judges in June 2018 overturned Bemba’s 2016 conviction, when he was found guilty of two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes. Bemba will be spared going to  jail because he has already served more than 10 years in ICC detention before being acquitted of war crimes charges in June 2018.  He had been sentenced to 18 years in jail after his 2016 conviction.  The  ICC later ruled Bemba could not be criminally liable for the crimes committed by his troops in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003.Credit: Jean-Pierre Bemba via Twitter / Bemba boards private jet enroute to DR Congo Aug. 1, 2018  after being freed from the ICC prison following his acquittal of war crime charges. However, DR Congo Banned Former War Lord Jean-Pierre Bemba from running In Election.

Bemba did not attend the ICC Appeals Hearing, as he is currently living in the DR Congo capital city Kinshasha.

Meanwhile, Bemba Seeks Nearly $100 Million From ICC

International Criminal  Court headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands

Bemba is demanding €68m ($US 77 Million) in compensation from the ICC for the 10 years he “rotted” behind bars  in The Hague, Netherlands, according to legal papers sent to the war tribunal last March 2019.    Bemba is seeking millions for the 10 years of his life he claims the  ICC stole from him, in addition to  his assets — including seven aircraft (including a Boeing 727-100), (six aircraft at N’djili airport,  Kinshasha),  DRC,  two boats  and three villas in Portugal he lost as a result of his decade-long incarceration.

“An innocent man lost 10 years of his life. The simple loss of time spent in prison is incalculable.  The purpose of this  claim is to attempt to repair some of the damage done to the man and his family by his arrest, detention, and ancillary actions of the Court and certain State Parties.  That damage arises from the treatment of Mr. Bemba’s material assets following his arrest.”

Bemba’s lawyer Peter Haynes said in a document sent to the ICC -March 2019.