Germain Katanga fr

Germain Katanga, alias “Simba”, was the highest ranking commander of Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (Force de résistance patriotique en Ituri - FRPI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the basis of individual criminal responsibility. The warrant of arrest for Germain Katanga lists nine counts including, inter alia, murder, inhuman or cruel treatment, sexual slavery, and using children under the age of fifteen years to participate actively in hostilities. These atrocities were committed against civilians in the context of an armed conflict in the territory of Ituri between January and March 2003. The arrest warrant was issued under seal by the Pre-Trial Chamber on 2 July 2007 and unsealed on 18 October 2007.

Germain Katanga was surrendered to the Court on 17 October 2007 by the authorities of the DRC and transferred to The Hague the following day.

Germain Katanga is the second accused, after Thomas Lubanga, to face charges before the ICC. His case arises from the situation in the DRC, which has been under investigation by the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC since 1 July 2002.

All cases related to the situation in DRC