Thomas Lubanga found guilty in International Criminal Court

Congolese rebel leader Thomas Lubanga was found guilty today on charges of exploiting children in combat at the International Criminal Court. This is the court’s first verdict since its’ establishment in 2002.

Lubanga was convicted of kidnapping children from communities in the Ituri region of the DRC.  The captured children were used as soldiers and sex slaves and forced to fight in ethnic battles that took place in 2002 and 2003. Lubanga pleaded innocent to the charges and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

For more information about the ICC verdict, see the full article on the Guardian website.