[JURIST] Judge Cuno Tarfusser of the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] on Tuesday reviewed the detention status of four suspects motu proprio and ordered [ICC order, PDF] their interim release in a case pending before the ICC related to the detention of former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo [BBC profile], whose case is also pending before the ICC. The four suspects [ICC case materials] are Aime Kilolo Musamba, Jean-Jacques Mangenda Kabongo, Fidele Babala Wandu and Narcisse Arido, and all of the individuals are citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Three of the four men were arrested [JURIST report] in November and December of last year, and Arido was transferred to ICC custody in March. Bemba is a suspect in both trials, and he will remain in detention. The four men are charged with presenting false evidence and corruptly influencing a witness to provide false testimony in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo [ICC case materials]. On Wednesday ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda [ICC profile] made an urgent request for suspensive effect of the order to grant the suspects interim release, but the Appeals Chamber rejected [ICC document, PDF] the Prosecution’s request for suspensive effect of its appeal the same day. Three of the suspects were released on Thursday [ICC press release], while Kabongo remains in custody until the ICC Registry finalizes his arrangements.

Bemba [JURIST news archive] is on trial before the ICC for war alleged war crimes from his activities as the military leader of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) [Congressional Research Service backgrounder, PDF], a rebel group with operations in the north of the country during the second Congo war. Earlier this month, ICC Trial Chamber III delayed the closing statements [JURIST report] for the case against Bemba for the week of November 10. The closing statements were delayed so that the Chamber may hear witness testimony, who is being brought as per the defense’s request to testify about alleged collusion between prosecution witnesses. Bemba’s defense lawyers opened their case [JURIST report] before the ICC in August 2012. It is alleged that during 2002 and 2003, Bemba committed two crimes against humanity and three war crimes in the territory of the Central African Republic (CAR). Bemba was arrested [JURIST report] in Belgium in May 2008 after the ICC issued a sealed warrant for his arrest.