MOSCOW, August 31 (RAPSI) – Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda, who is accused of war crimes including rape of the children, to stand trial on Wednesday in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague, Yahoo News has reported.
Ntaganda, nicknamed "The Terminator", is a Rwandan-born rebel army leader who is believed to be responsible for ethnic attacks against the population of Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the Yahoo News.
Casualties of the conflict allegedly perpetrated by the Ntaganda’ army estimate to about 60,000 dead since 1999.
Ntaganda faces 13 counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity.
Among other charges brought up against Ntaganda, the ICC prosecutors highlight the allegations of a child rape practice reported to be a norm in his rebel army, Yahoo News has reported. ICC's chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda accused Ntaganda of allowing the rebels to rape child and woman soldiers in his own army.
In early 2000’s Bosco Ntaganda was one of the most notorious rebel leaders in Central Africa, Yahoo News has reported. He is believed to be a leader of several raids against the civilian population of the region with him being personally accused of murdering a priest during one of those attacks. In March 2013 ex-warlord surrendered by walking into the US embassy in the Rwandan capital Kigali where he asked to be sent to Hague. The rebel group founded by Ntaganda was defeated by the Congolese forces later that year.