International Criminal Court (ICC)
CONGO, DR: ICC convicts PRFI leader Germain Katanga to 12 years imprisonment
The ICC has sentenced the commander of the Patriotic Resistance Forces in Ituri, Germain Katanga, to 12 years of imprisonment for war crimes. In March the Court declared him guilty as an accessory of one count of crimes against humanity (murder) and four counts of war crimes (murder, attacking a civilian population, destruction of property and pillaging) for providing the weapons used in the attack on the village of Bogoro on 24 February 2003, in Ituri district. He was then acquitted of charges of rape, sexual slavery and use of child soldiers. In the sentence the Chamber stressed that the crimes, which caused the death of 200 civilians, were committed with particular cruelty. Nonetheless, the Chamber also took into account Katanga's active participation in the demobilisation process implemented in Ituri for child soldiers. The ICC did not impose any fines, but decisions on possible reparations to victims will be taken later. (ICC, Jurist, 23/05/14)