Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda

Bosco Ntaganda, Congolese rebel leader and former general known as 'the Terminator' has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Iran PressAfrica: The Congolese warlord Ntaganda was found guilty of 13 counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity in July.

The long list of offenses, committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 and 2003, included murder, rape, sexual slavery, enlisting child soldiers, persecution, forcible transfer and deportation, pillage and intentionally directing attacks against civilians.

The sentence is the longest handed down by the ICC and he also becomes the first person to be convicted of sexual slavery.

In a statement, the ICC said the sentencing was unanimous. The time Ntaganda had already spent in detention, from March 2013 to November 2019, would be deducted from his sentence, the Hague-based court said.

The defense and prosecution have 30 days to appeal.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Ntaganda who fought for various rebel groups before becoming a general in the Congolese army in 2006.

He surrendered to Rwanda in 2013 and his trial began two years later, with closing arguments presented in August 2018.  205/211

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