Closing oral statements in the Bemba trial scheduled for 12 and 13 November 2014: Practical information
Today, 4 November 2014, Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court (ICC) scheduled the closing oral statements in the case The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba for Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 November 2014 from 09:30 to 16:00 (The Hague local time).
The Prosecution and Defence will have approximately three hours each and the Legal representative of victims one and a half hours to make their final submissions. The closing oral statements should be limited to issues arising from the evidence admitted in the Bemba case and the participants’ written closing statements. Following these closing statements, the judges will commence their deliberations and the judgment will be pronounced in due course.
Background: The trial in the Bemba case started on 22 November 2010. Mr Bemba is allegedly criminally responsible, as a military commander, for two counts of crimes against humanity (murder and rape) and three counts of war crimes (murder, rape and pillaging). Mr Bemba is in the Court’s custody.