Ex-VP Bemba accused of leading murderous militia in 2002
(NEWSER) - Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba went on trial in The Hague today for war crimes, becoming the highest-ranking official to face the International Criminal Court. He's accused of leading a militia that raped, murdered, and tortured victims in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003, the New York Times reports. Bemba's 2008 arrest shocked the Congo, which largely regarded him as untouchable. Backed by a big defense team, he denies the charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. More»