Pre-Trial Chamber III at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has set the confirmation of charges hearings in the case of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo for 8-12 December 2008.
The Confirmation of Charges Hearing is a public hearing. It aims at ensuring that no case goes to trial unless there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed the crime with which he or she has been charged.
After having been transferred to The Hague from Belgium on 3 July, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo made his initial appearance before the ICC on 4 July 2008.
Bemba Gombo faces five counts of war crimes and three counts of crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the Central African Republic (CAR) from 25 October 2002 to 15 March 2003.
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is approximately 45 years of age. He was arrested on 24 May 2008 by the Belgian authorities following a warrant of arrest which was issued under seal by the ICC on 23 May 2008.
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo was President and Commander in Chief of the Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC). These forces intervened in the 2002-2003 armed conflict in the Central African Republic at the request of the President of the CAR, Ange-Félix Patassé, in order to put down a rebellion directed by General François Bozizé.
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo
Situation in Central African Republic
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