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Congolese ex-vice president convicted at international court

Jean-Pierre Bemba enters the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, March 21, 2016. The International Criminal Court is passing judgment on former Congolese vice president Bemba on charges of commanding a militia that went on a spree of murder, rape and pillage in Central African Republic more than a decade ago. The verdicts being delivered Monday afternoon focus on the responsibility of a military commander for the actions of his troops. Bemba's long-running trial also was the first at the ICC to feature allegations of systematic sexual abuse by soldiers in a conflict. (AP Photo/Jerry Lampen, Pool) Jean-Pierre Bemba enters the court room of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, March 21, 2016. The International Criminal Court is passing judgment on former Congolese vice president Bemba on charges of commanding a militia that went on a spree of murder, rape and pillage in Central African Republic more than a decade ago. The verdicts being delivered Monday afternoon focus on the responsibility of a military commander for the actions of his troops. Bemba's long-running trial also was the first at the ICC to feature allegations of systematic sexual abuse by soldiers in a conflict. (AP Photo/Jerry Lampen, Pool)

By Associated Press March 21, 2016 1 min read

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – The International Criminal Court has convicted a former Congolese vice president of murder, rape and pillage for commanding troops who committed widespread atrocities in the Central African Republic in 2002-2003.

The conviction Monday of Jean-Pierre Bemba marked the first time the court has convicted a suspect based on his role as a military commander. It also was the first judgment focusing on a brutal campaign of rape by troops in an armed conflict.

Bemba, the highest-ranking person yet convicted by the court, showed no emotion as Presiding Judge Sylvia Steiner read out the long judgment highlighting horrific crimes by his militia. He will be sentenced following a separate hearing.