Congolese warlord found liable for $10 million reparations

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that a former warlord from the Democratic Republic of the Congo convicted of using child soldiers is liable for $10 million in reparations to victims in the African nation.

The court said in a ruling Friday that it had approved applications for reparations from 427 direct or indirect victims of crimes by Thomas Lubanga, who was convicted in March 2012 and is serving a 14-year prison sentence in Congo.

It adds that “further evidence established the existence of hundreds of even thousands of additional victims” affected by Lubanga’s crimes.

Judges however acknowledge that Lubanga has no money and any reparations will have to be paid by a fund set up by the court for victims, possibly with the help of Congolese authorities.