DRC jails 11 over child rapes for supernatural powers

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‍Eleven militia members were sentenced to life in prison Wednesday in Democratic Republic of Congo for raping close to 40 children in what was reportedly an attempt to gain supernatural powers.

A military tribunal sentenced the men, including South Kivu provincial lawmaker Frederic Batumike, “to life in prison for the crime against humanity by rape and murder".

Human rights campaigners hailed the court's verdict as a landmark decision in a country where they say rape by armed groups is commonplace and often goes unpunished.

The fighters from Djeshi ya Yesu – the Army of Jesus – militia were accused of raping at least 37 girls near the village of Kavumu in DRC's South Kivu province between 2013 and 2016, groups observing the trial said.

The victims’ ages ranged from just eight months to 12 years old.

A militia man in DR Congo. /VCG Photo

According to the prosecution, the group's leader Batumike employed a spiritual adviser who told the fighters that raping very young children would give them mystical protection against their enemies.

The men were also convicted of murder, membership of a rebel movement and illegal weapons possession.

Experts say the Congo has made some progress in combating sexual violence and several high-level militia and army commanders have been prosecuted in recent years, but the problem remains pervasive.

"This trial demonstrated that justice can be served in the Congo... even when the accused wield significant power and are highly organised," said Karen Naimer of Physicians for Human Rights, one of the groups supporting the victims.

The mobile court which set up in Kavumu Village allocated 5,000 US dollars in compensation to each rape victim and 15,000 dollars to the families of men murdered by the militia, the groups said.

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Source(s): AFP ,Reuters