UN peace keeping mission

Soldiers on trial for sexual abuse

The three Congolese men from the UN's MINUSCA peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic wore blue prison gear as they appeared before the tribunal in Ndolo, a military prison north of the capital Kinshasa, reports AFP.
They are the first troops to be prosecuted in the scandal, which has seen more than 100 victims come forward with horrifying accounts of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers and French forces.
Another 18 soldiers from DR Congo accused of rape -- or attempted rape -- of the civilians they were meant to be protecting during a peacekeeping mission in CAR were also present in the court.
"Sergeant Jackson Kikola is being prosecuted for raping a (young girl) of 17 and for not following orders," said public prosecutor Lieutenant Mposhi Ngoy, reading the indictments.
Sergeant major Kibeka Mulamba Djuma faces similar charges, while sergeant major Nsasi Ndazu was charged with disobeying orders and attempted rape. All three pleaded not guilty.
"We want absolute transparency in this trial," the justice minister, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, told AFP, adding that "a few individuals cannot discredit our army".
Three hearings are scheduled each week, meaning the entire process could take months to complete. Ida Sawyer, an advocate for Human Rights Watch in the Democratic Republic of Congo, told AFP the trial at Ndolo was "a first, and good, step to end impunity" and called on all countries involved to ensure "real justice".

 

UN peace keeping mission

Soldiers on trial for sexual abuse

The three Congolese men from the UNs MINUSCA peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic wore blue prison gear as they appeared before the tribunal in Ndolo, a military prison north of the capital Kinshasa, reports AFP. They are the first troops to be prosecuted in the scandal, which has seen more than 100 victims come forward with horrifying accounts of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers and French forces. Another 18 soldiers from DR Congo accused of rape -- or attempted rape -- of the civilians they were meant to be protecting during a peacekeeping mission in CAR were also present in the court. Sergeant Jackson Kikola is being prosecuted for raping a (young girl) of 17 and for not following orders, said public prosecutor Lieutenant Mposhi Ngoy, reading the indictments. Sergeant major Kibeka Mulamba Djuma faces similar charges, while sergeant major Nsasi Ndazu was charged with disobeying orders and attempted rape. All three pleaded not guilty. We want absolute transparency in this trial, the justice minister, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba, told AFP, adding that a few individuals cannot discredit our army. Three hearings are scheduled each week, meaning the entire process could take months to complete. Ida Sawyer, an advocate for Human Rights Watch in the Democratic Republic of Congo, told AFP the trial at Ndolo was a first, and good, step to end impunity and called on all countries involved to ensure real justice.