[JURIST] The International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] on Tuesday sentenced [decision, PDF; press release] ex-Congolese military leader Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail for crimes against humanity and war crimes stemming from his involvement in the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003. Bemba was sentenced to 16 years for murder as a crime against humanity; 16 years for murder as a war crime; 18 years for rape as a war crime; 18 years for rape as a crime against humanity; and 16 years for pillaging as a war crime, with all sentences to run concurrently. The court noted that the rape was particularly disturbing as it was “(i) against particularly defenceless victims and (ii) with particular cruelty.” It is possible that Bemba will appeal the sentence.

The Bemba [JURIST news archive] case has been ongoing before the ICC since 2008. In March the ICC found unanimously [JURIST report] that Bemba was guilty of two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes for his role in the armed conflict in the CAR in 2002 and 2003. In September Bemba pleaded not guilty to charges of interfering with the administration of justice after he and four members of his legal team were ordered to stand trial [JURIST reports] on those charges. In October 2014 ICC Trial Chamber III delayed the closing statements [JURIST report] in the case against Bemba so that it could hear additional witness testimony after the defense requested to testify about alleged collusion between prosecution witnesses. In November 2013 four persons were arrested on charges of falsifying evidence [JURIST report] in connection with the trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba Bemba’s defense lawyers opened their case before the ICC in August 2012.