Congolese gets 18 years for Central African Republic war crimes

He has been convicted for heading a 2002-03 campaign of rape and murder in neighboring Central African Republic

Reuters June 21, 2016

Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo sits in the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, June 21, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court on Tuesday for heading a 2002-03 campaign of rape and murder in neighboring Central African Republic.

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Bemba, a former Democratic Republic of Congo vice-president, in March became the first person to be convicted by the global war crimes court of crimes of sexual violence in war, as well as the first to be held directly responsible for his subordinates' crimes.