This afternoon, the tenth witness called by the defense of war crimes accused Jean-Pierre Bemba concluded his testimony in closed session. Nearly all of the evidence given by ‘Witness D0-55’ has been heard in closed session since he took the witness stand on Monday. During testimony yesterday, ‘Witness D04-55’ denied suggestions by prosecutors that defense ... Continue reading
Archive for October, 2012
October
30
2012
Witness Denies Being Coached by Bemba’s Lawyers
A witness testifying for Jean-Pierre Bemba at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has denied that defense lawyers helped him prepare his testimony. Under cross-examination by prosecution lawyer Jean-Jacques Badibanga, ‘Witness D04-55′ also denied receiving any monetary contributions to his travel expenses for meetings with the defense team. ‘Witness D04-55′ started testifying yesterday in the trial ... Continue reading
October
29
2012
New Defense Witness Gives All Evidence in Closed Session
The tenth defense witness in the International Criminal Court (ICC) trial of Congolese opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba today took to the witness stand, but all of his evidence was heard in closed session. Going by the pseudonym ‘Witness D04-55,’ this individual was granted in-court protective measures, including image and voice distortion of public broadcasts of ... Continue reading
October
26
2012
Command Structure Dominates Bemba Trial This Week
Who commanded Jean-Pierre Bemba’s forces deployed in the 2002-2003 armed conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR)? This question was at the center of the testimony of the two defense witnesses who testified this week in Mr. Bemba’s trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Both witnesses said it was Central African generals, not Mr. ... Continue reading
October
26
2012
Witness Denies Being Paid to Testify For Bemba
A defense witness has denied suggestions by the prosecution that he might have received payment in order to testify for Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former Congolese senator on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The former gendarme in the Central African Republic (CAR), who is testifying under the pseudonym ‘Witness D04-51,’ was asked by prosecution ... Continue reading
October
25
2012
Witness: Local Forces Led Bemba Troops in Joint Operations
War crimes accused Jean-Pierre Bemba’s Congolese troops did not operate independently of the army of the Central African Republic (CAR) during their deployment in that country, a witness stated today. Testifying for a second day, ‘Witness D04-51′ stated that Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) troops “were always together” with the local army during ... Continue reading
October
24
2012
Patassé Cited in MLC Command
The command structure of Congolese troops deployed in a 2002-2003 armed conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) has continued to dominate the trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former Congolese vice president whose fighters are accused of committing mass rapes, killings, and plunder. A defense witness, who commenced testimony today, told judges at the International ... Continue reading
October
23
2012
Bemba Forces ‘Fell Under CAR Presidential Guard Commander’
At the conclusion of his testimony today, the eighth witness called by the defense of war crimes accused Jean-Pierre Bemba reiterated that the accused’s troops deployed in a 2002-2003 armed conflict fell under the command of General Ferdinand Bombayake, the head of the presidential guard of the Central African Republic (CAR). ‘Witness D04-64′ is a ... Continue reading
Today, another former official in the government of Ange-Félix Patassé, the late president of the Central African Republic (CAR), told the war crimes trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba that the accused did not command his troops stationed in that country during 2002 and 2003. Testifying with protective measures, ‘Witness D04-64′ stated that on a visit to ... Continue reading
October
19
2012
Patassé Aides Insist Bemba Did Not Command Troops
Resuming after a three weeks’ hiatus, the Bemba trial this week heard the testimony of two witnesses. Both witnesses worked closely with the late president of the Central African Republic (CAR), Ange-Félix Patassé, and testified that war crimes accused Jean-Pierre Bemba did not command his troops deployed in the CAR conflict. Rather, they said, it ... Continue reading
