Bemba, the president and commander-in-chief of the “Mouvement de Libération du Congo” and former vice-president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is charged with crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and war crimes (murder, rape and pillaging) allegedly committed in the Central African Republic in 2002-2003.
“MLC leaders are confident that Jean-Pierre Bemba will be freed and rejoin us as soon as possible”, Busa declared.
MLC is one of the main opposition parties in DRC. “Congolese all know that MLC troops went to the CAR because they had been invited to do so by a government democratically elected”, he explained.
According to the Lusaka agreement, the MLC had the powers of a legitimate government on the portion of territory it controlled at the time, Busa said. Bemba was thus entitled to sign a deal with Ange-Félix Patassé, the then President of CAR.
Busa also told Radio Okapi that MLC militants were visiting Bemba in jail almost daily and that the party was 100% behind its leader.
Bemba has been granted eight months to present his defense.
RO/ER/GF
