A former Congolese rebel leader has pleaded not guilty to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Bosco Ntaganda said he was not guilty Wednesday on the first day of his trial.
Lawyers say the rebel leader is responsible for crimes committed by his rebel group, the Union of Congolese Patriots.
He faces 13 counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity that took place in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 and 2003. The crimes include charges of murder, rape, sexual slavery, enlistment of child soldiers and displacing populations.
