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Thomas Lubanga – Congolese Warlord Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
Fulford said that the time Lubanga has served in pretrial detention since March 2006 would be deducted from the sentence.
One of the judges, Odio Benito, issued a separate dissenting opinion, saying the sentence should have been 15 years in recognition of the suffering of victims of harsh punishments and sexual violence.
It was not immediately clear where Lubanga would serve his sentence. The court has no prison cells for holding convicted war criminals, but has deals with seven countries to jail them, Denmark, Serbia, Mali, Austria, Finland, Britain and Belgium.
Fulford gave Lubanga three sentences of 13, 12 and 14 years each, respectively for conscripting, enlisting and using child soldiers, but the sentences are to be served concurrently.
Conscripting involves abducting children and pressing them into military service, while enlisting them can mean they serve voluntarily.
Frank Mulenda, a legal representative for 140 victims in the case, welcomed the sentence.
“It is very important. It consoles the victims,” he said outside court. The court should now order reparations for former child soldiers, “so they can get back their education and their place in society,” Mulenda said.
