Former Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga has pleaded not guilty to charges of using child soldiers, at the International Criminal Court (ICC). He faces six charges of recruiting and using hundreds of children aged under 15 to fight in DR Congo's brutal five-year conflict, which ended in 2003. He had used the children to "kill, pillage and rape”. There was a Seven-month delay for the judges to decide his fate. Prosecutors say child soldiers enlisted for Mr. Lubanga's ethnic Hema militia were used to kill members of the rival Lendu ethnic group, or as his bodyguards.
He said: "Lubanga's militia recruited, trained and used hundreds of young children to kill, pillage and rape.
Quick review
Leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots, an ethnic Hema militia
Accused of recruiting children under 15 as soldiers
Says he was trying to bring peace to Congo's eastern Ituri region
Arrested in Kinshasa in March 2005
Held by the ICC at The Hague since 2006
Born in 1960, has a degree in psychology
He said: "Lubanga's militia recruited, trained and used hundreds of young children to kill, pillage and rape.
Quick review
Leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots, an ethnic Hema militia
Accused of recruiting children under 15 as soldiers
Says he was trying to bring peace to Congo's eastern Ituri region
Arrested in Kinshasa in March 2005
Held by the ICC at The Hague since 2006
Born in 1960, has a degree in psychology
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