Germain Katanga

Commander of the Force de résistance patriotique en Ituri (Front for Patriotic Resistance of Ituri, FRPI), Brigadier-General of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC)

• Allegations & Charges

  Factual Allegations

  Germain Katanga was the Commander of the Force de résistance patriotique en Ituri (FRPI), one of several armed groups fighting for political and military control of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Katanga was later appointed Brigadier-General of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). Between August 2002 and May 2003, many armed groups as well as neighboring states engaged in a violent conflict to control natural resources in Ituri.

  The ICC Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) alleged that the FNI and FRPI committed a joint attack on the village of Bogoro on February 24, 2003, and that as the leader of the FRPI, Germain Katanga led this attack and controlled other commanders responsible for the FNI. Katanga and his co-perpetrators allegedly directed the attack against civilians as well as the military camp that existed in Bogoro, pursuant to a plan to “wipe out” or “raze” Bogoro and its predominantly Hema civilian population. In implementing this plan, the attackers engaged in widespread killing and imprisonment, destroyed civilian homes, raped civilian women and girls, and prevented civilians from fleeing. Children under the age of 15 allegedly participated in the attack, which resulted in the death of 200 civilians.

  The FNI and FRPI allegedly also pillaged the property mainly of Hema civilians of Bogoro after the attack, and abducted women and girls from Bogoro and used them as “wives” of FNI and FRPI combatants. The OTP also alleged that Katanga personally used bodyguards who were under the age of 15.

  Please visit the Court’s website for more information on The Prosecutor v. Katanga.

  Charges

  The Accused is alleged to have intentionally contributed to the commission or attempted commission of atrocity crimes crimes by a group, with the aim of furthering the criminal activity or purpose of the perpetrators (Article 25(3)(d)(i) of the Rome Statute), and with knowledge of the perpetrators’ intention to commit these crimes (Article 25(3)(d)(ii)).

  Under this mode of criminal liability, the Accused is charged with the following atrocity crimes:

  Murder (Crime against Humanity): Article 7(1)(a)

  Attacks against Civilians (War Crime): Article 8(2)(e)(i)

  Murder (War Crime): Article 8(2)(c)(i)

  Destroying the Enemy’s Property (War Crime): Article 8(2)(e)(xii)

  Pillaging (War Crime): Article 8(2)(e)(v)

• Key Events

  • Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a sealed arrest warrant for Katanga on July 2, 2007, which was unsealed on October 18, 2007. Katanga entered ICC custody on October 17, 2007. Charges were confirmed against him on September 26, 2008. He was sentenced, on May 23, 2014, to 12 years in prison from which his time in custody was deducted, with his sentence being reduced by 3 years and 8 months on November 13, 2015.

  • Arrest warrant

    Arrest Warrant Issued : July 2, 2007

  • Press release

    Initial appearance : October 22, 2007

  • Press release

    Joining of the cases of Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui : March 10, 2008

  • Decision on the confirmation of charges
    Press release

    Confirmation of Charges : September 26, 2008

  • Press release

    Start of Trial : November 24, 2009
  • End of Trial : May 23, 2012

  • Press release

    Severing of the cases of Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui : November 21, 2012

  • Decision on the judgement
    Press release

    Trial Judgement : March 7, 2014

  • Decision on the sentence
    Press release

    Sentencing : May 23, 2014

  • Order

    Order on Reparations to Victims : April 1, 2015

  • Decision on the sentence reduction
    Press release

    Sentence Reduction : November 13, 2015

  • Press Release

    Transferred to Prison : December 19, 2015

  • Trial Chamber II awarded individual and collective reparations to the victims of crimes committed by Mr. Katanga. The judges awarded 297 victims with a symbolic compensation of USD 250 per victim as well as collective reparations in the form of support for housing, support for income‑generating activities, education aid and psychological support. Because of Mr Katanga’s indigence, the Trust Fund for Victims was invited to consider using its resources for the reparations and to present an implementation plan by 27 June 2017.

    Order

    Award of Reparations : March 24, 2017