24.01.12 - ICC/BEMBA - BEMBA'S TRIAL SET TO REOPEN THURSDAY

24 January 2012 By

The Hague, January 24, 2012 (FH) - Jean-Pierre Bemba's trial before the International Criminal court (ICC) was postponed from Monday to Thursday following the absence of four key prosecution witnesses.

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Since the start of the trial in November 2010, prosecutor has called 36 witnesses.

According to several sources, the four last witnesses are former insiders in the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC), Bemba's militia. They seem to be reluctant to testify.

Bemba is charged with crimes against humanity and crimes of war mainly for his command responsibility in murders and rapes committed by MLC soldiers in the Central African Republic between October 2002 and March 2003.

The prosecution was expected to close its case in February. It is anticipated that judges will permit a few of the victims participating in the trial to give oral testimony before the start of the defense case.

SM/ER/GF