THE HAGUE, Netherlands – A former vice president of Congo who was acquitted on appeal at the International Criminal Court of crimes in Central African Republic is seeking millions of euros (dollars) in compensation.
Lawyers for Jean-Pierre Bemba released a lengthy written application Monday in which they ask judges at the global court to award Bemba a total of nearly 69 million euros ($77 million).
The sum includes compensation for a decade he spent in jail and also covers legal costs and losses to his assets, which were frozen by the court.
Appeals judges last year overturned Bemba's 2016 convictions as a military commander on two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes for a campaign of murder, rape and pillaging by his troops in Central African Republic from 2002-2003.