THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – A former Congolese vice president was sentenced Wednesday to an extra year in prison and fined 300,000 euros ($324,000) for interfering with witnesses in his trial at the International Criminal Court.
Jean-Pierre Bemba, who already is serving an 18-year prison term for crimes committed in Central African Republic by a militia he commanded, was sentenced along with four members of the legal team.
They were convicted in October of offenses including corruptly influencing defense witnesses and presenting false testimony in Bemba’s trial linked to atrocities in the Central African Republic in 2002-2003.
The four members of the legal team were given sentences ranging from six months to 2 1/2 years, but won’t go to prison as the sentences were either shorter than the time they spent in pre-trial custody or were suspended. They all faced maximum sentences of five years.
Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt said the sentences should act as a deterrent to prevent similar crimes in the future.