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DR Congo warlord Thomas Lubanga sentenced to 14 years DR Congo warlord Thomas Lubanga sentenced to 14 years
(40 minutes later)
Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for recruiting and using child soldiers in his rebel army in 2002 and 2003.Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for recruiting and using child soldiers in his rebel army in 2002 and 2003.
He was convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March - the first conviction since the court was set up 10 years ago. Taking into account time in custody, he will now serve a further eight years.
Lubanga had protested his innocence and said he had not supported the use of child soldiers. In March, he became the first person to be convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since it was set up 10 years ago.
But in a unanimous decision, the judges said Lubanga was responsible. The conflict between ethnic groups in Ituri, north-eastern DR Congo, is estimated to have killed 60,000 people.
Lubanga showed no emotion as the presiding judge read out the sentence. Lubanga showed no emotion as he was sentenced.
Judge Adrian Fulford told the court in The Hague that, taking into account the time Lubanga has already spent in jail, he will effectively spend eight more years behind bars. Judge Adrian Fulford praised the former warlord for his conduct and co-operation throughout the trial, our correspondent Anna Holigan in The Hague says.
Campaign group Human Rights Watch says more than 60,000 people were killed in the conflict between Hema and Lendu ethnic groups in Ituri, in north-eastern DR Congo. But he was hugely critical of the former prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, she says, accusing him of making errors, failing to submit evidence to support his claims and allowing his staff to give misleading statements to the press.
In June, ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said he was asking for a "severe sentence" of 30 years. In June Mr Moreno-Ocampo said he was asking for a "severe sentence" of 30 years.
He said the prosecution was requesting a sentence "in the name of each child recruited, in the name of the Ituri region".He said the prosecution was requesting a sentence "in the name of each child recruited, in the name of the Ituri region".
The issue of reparations was not addressed at Tuesday's hearing. Both sides now have 30 days to appeal.
The conviction of Lubanga is linked to current unrest in DR Congo.The conviction of Lubanga is linked to current unrest in DR Congo.
Rebel forces are advancing towards the country's main eastern city of Goma. Rebel forces are advancing towards the country's main eastern city of Goma. They are headed by Gen Bosco Ntaganda, who is also wanted for war crimes by the ICC.
They are headed by Gen Bosco Ntaganda, who is also wanted for war crimes by the ICC.