DR Congo warlord Bemba jailed over war crimes

Jean-Pierre Bemba's lawyers say they will appeal

Congolese ex-rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba has been jailed for 18 years following a landmark conviction at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and sexual violence.

Bemba was found guilty in March of crimes committed in the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003.

He was accused of failing to stop his rebels from killing and raping people. Bemba's defence team have already said they will appeal against the decision.


Passing sentence at the ICC in The Hague, Judge Sylvia Steiner said Bemba had failed to exercise control over his private militia group sent into CAR, where they carried out "sadistic" rapes, murders and pillaging of "particular cruelty".

Bemba had sent more than 1,000 fighters to the CAR to help former president Ange Felix Patasse put down an attempted coup.