afrol News, 16 November - The trial of the first Congolese warlord to be tried for war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague has been set for 31 March 2008.

Thomas Lubanga, 46, who founded and led a militia group in DRC's Ituri district, was arrested in 2006. He was accused of enlisting and conscripting children below 15 to kill members Lendu ethnic group during the country's war between 1998 and 2003.

He insisted his innocence and denied the charges.

The three-judge trial chamber of the ICC asked prosecutors to make all their evidence they plan to use against Lubanga available to the defence lawyers by 14 December.

In January, ICC ruled that there was enough evidence for Lubanga to be prosecuted.

The warlord headed the Union of Congolese Patriots [an ethnic militia turned into a political party]. He was accused of using armed children to kill his enemies during ethnic conflicts between the Hema and Lendu tribes in Ituri.

The court is also set to prosecute another Congolese warlord, Germain Katanga for murder, sexual slavery, among other crimes.

Katanga, who had been held since early 2007, have had his last month pre-trial proceedings hindered by lack of a Lingala interpreter.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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