Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda has told his war crimes trial he was a soldier and not a criminal, breaking his silence for the first time since surrendering to the International Criminal Court.
Speaking in his native Kinyarwanda through an interpreter Ntaganda also denied attacking civilians.
Ntaganda has pleaded not guilty to charges leveled against him but lawyers representing victims opened Thursday’s hearing with harrowing details of horrific abuses allegedly unleashed by his rebel forces.
Ntaganda has been charged with ordering hundreds of deaths in savage ethnic attacks, as well as with the recruitment and rape of child soldiers within his own rebel army.
The trial was adjourned until September 15, when the first witnesses are due to give evidence.
“I have been described as ‘The Terminator’, an infamous killer, but that is not me.” I am not the Bosco Ntaganda depicted by the prosecution yesterday. I never attacked civilians, on the other hand your honours, I have always protected them.” ~ Bosco Ntaganda
