MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2021) The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled on Monday that Bosco Ntaganda, a former militia leader responsible for war crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the 2000s, pay a total of $30 million in repatriations to the victims of his atrocities.
Ntaganda used to be the leader of the National Congress for the Defense of the People rebel group, which waged insurgency against the DRC government and neighboring Rwanda. In 2013, the 47-year-old turned himself in to the ICC. In July 2019, he was indicted on 18 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
"The Chamber set the total reparations award for which Mr Ntaganda is liable at USD 30,000,000," the court said.
According to the statement, those eligible for payments include direct and indirect victims of crimes imputed to Ntaganda. These include rape, murder, sexual slavery and recruitment of child soldiers, among other things.
The court ruled that compensations be made through the Trust Fund for Victims amid the defendant deemed "indigent for the purposes of repatriations." The Trust must present a general draft implementation plan to the court by September 8 and an urgent plan for the priority victims by June 8, according to the statement.
Back in 2019, the ICC sentenced Ntaganda to 30 years behind bars but refrained from imposing financial penalties.
