ICC-CPI-20091123-PR478
Situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Case: The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui
The trial in the case The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui will start before Trial-Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) tomorrow, Tuesday, 24 November, 2009. It is the second trial in the context of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the schedule adopted by the Chamber, the hearings will be held from 09:30 to 16:00, until 11 December, 2009, and will resume on 26 January, 2010.
During a press conference held today, 23 November, 2009, at the ICC headquarters in the presence of the different parties and the legal representatives of the victims, Silvana Arbia, the Court's Registrar, affirmed that, "the Court is to become a model of fairness of procedures, of respect for the rights of the Defence, and for victims' participation". The Registrar also gave assurances that the Registry co-operates with all parties and victim participants, in order to allow each of them to fully play their role, thus ensuring the fairness of the trial, conducted under the authority of impartial judges.
The Prosecutor of the ICC, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, will have to present evidence to the Chamber that establishes the guilt of each of the accused beyond any reasonable doubt. Today, he affirmed that "the Office of the Prosecutor has revised 16, 544 documents related to the case. Six-hundred-and-seventy inculpatory documents and 272 exculpatory documents have been disclosed to the Defence, as well as 2, 423 documents considered as material for the Defence". He also indicated his intention to call 26 witnesses, including one expert witness on gender issues and on the military aspects of the crimes.
During the press conference, Andreas O'Shea, co-counsel for the Defence for Germain Katanga, declared confidence in the impartiality of the ICC judges and hope for a fair trial. Jean-Pierre Kilenda Kakengi Basila, lead counsel for the Defence for Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, expressed the respect held by his client towards all the victims, among which he considers himself. He also expressed his hope that "the ICC will clarify responsibility in this case without hate, fear, complexes or barriers".
The judges have recognised 345 persons, including 10 child-soldiers, as victims for the purpose of participating in the present case. Their two legal representatives, Fidel Nsita Luvengika and Jean-Louis Gilissen, participated in the press conference held today. Mr Luvengika explained that "persons who have not demanded to participate can still be constituted as victims at the reparations stage". He highlighted that "by establishing the truth, the victims hope to have the support to finally mourn". "The victims are waiting for explanations. What they also expect is to have a future", declared Mr Gilissen, legal representative of the group of child-soldiers.
The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was referred to the Court by the Government of the DRC on 3 March, 2004. The case of The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui is the second case in the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after that of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, whose trial commenced on 26 January, 2009, before Trial Chamber I. A fourth warrant of arrest was issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I on 22 August, 2006, against Bosco Ntaganda, who remains at large. Investigations continue in the DRC, in the regions of Ituri and the Kivus, and might lead the Office of the Prosecutor to apply for the issuance of other warrants of arrest.
Information on the The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui case
Déclaration du Greffier, Madame Arbia, à la conférence de presse
For further information please contact Ms Sonia Robla, Head of Public Information and Documentation Section at +31 (0)70 515 8089 or +31 (0) 6 46 44 87 26 or at sonia.robla@icc-cpi.int
