Congolese Ex-Rebel Leader Jailed For 18 Years Over Crimes & S3xual Violence

Congolese ex-rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba has been jailed for 18 years following a landmark conviction at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and sexual violence.

Bemba, a former vice-president of DR Congo, was convicted in March of crimes committed in the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002-2003.

He was accused of failing to stop his rebels from killing and raping people.

Judges announced sentences of between 16 and 18 years for five counts of rape, murder and pillaging, with the jail terms running concurrently. The eight years Bemba has already spent in custody will be deducted from his term.
His conviction was the first time the ICC had focused on rape as a weapon of war, and the first time a suspect had been convicted for crimes committed by others under his command.

Passing sentence at the ICC in The Hague, Judge Sylvia Steiner said Bemba had failed to exercise control over his private militia sent into CAR, where they carried out “sadistic” rapes, murders and pillaging of “particular cruelty”.

Bemba’s lawyers have already said they will appeal against his conviction.

Religious War:- 4 Killed, Church Burnt In Niger State

Four persons have been killed in Pandogari, Rafi local government area of Niger state following the outbreak of religious violence in the area over blasphemous comments about Prophet Mohammed on social media.

According to the statement issued by Major NC Agwu, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, a church, house and shop were burnt while 25 others were looted during the incident on Sunday, May 29, 2016.

The statement reads: “At about 6pm on Sunday, 29 May 2016, one Mr. Methodus Chimaije Emmanuel, a 24 year old trader based in Pandogari, Rafi LGA of Niger State was attacked and killed by a mob in the town on allegation of posting a blasphemous statement about Prophet Muhammad on the social media.

“Regrettably, one church, one house and a shop were burnt while 25 other shops were looted following the violence. Three other persons including personnel of the NSCDC also lost their lives.

“Troops of 31 Artillery Brigade of 1 Division, Nigerian Army on operation MESA quickly intervened and restored law and order while a dusk to dawn curfew was imposed in the town.
“Some arrests have been made in connection with the violence and the suspects handed over to the police. The military and other security agencies are currently embarking on confidence building patrols in all nooks and crannies of the town.

“Early Monday morning however, the rioters embarked on further violence, looting shops and blocking the Lagos – Kaduna Road, a major artery connecting the northern and southern parts of the country.

“Again, troops in conjunction with the personnel of Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) took control of the situation to forestall escalation of violence and any threat to the peace in the town.”

He stated that the military is working with the local government council authorities and community leaders, including the Kagara Emirate Council to pacify all aggrieved parties and build on the peace so far established.

He urged residents to go about their daily activities without fear of intimidation abide by the conditions of the curfew.

Caught Red-Handed during the election - Election Violence proper

Is this a Nollywood scene or Reality? a whole party candidate sharing money to woo voters to himself...
PDP is not only showing shame, they are proving inferior..

Quebec education minister approves Strip-searches in high schools

Quebec Education Minister Yves Bolduc says students can be strip-searched in the province’s high schools under “strict” guidelines and in a “respectful” manner. Bolduc told the National Assembly Tuesday that strip searches are reasonable when student security is in question. His made the comments after a 15-year-old girl told a Quebec newspaper that she felt violated during a strip search at her Quebec City high school.
The girl said school officials suspected her of selling drugs and told her to take her clothes off behind a screen for inspection.
The girl said the principal and another female staff member searched all of her clothes, including her bra and underwear, looking for pot. They didn’t find any, the girl said. Bolduc said Tuesday that schools must take drug allegations seriously. “When we suspect drug trafficking we want to protect our youth; it’s a security issue,” he said. “These searches must follow a very strict protocol with specific conditions. And I would add, even though it’s not in the protocol, to add the human side, it must be done very respectfully. “ Bolduc said students who are being searched take their clothes off behind a curtain and hand them over to a staff member to be inspected. Students are never naked in front of school officials, he said.

The school board said there must be “reasonable grounds to suspect a rule was broken and the evidence can be found on the student.” It also said that only clothes are searched, not the student’s body. But although the courts have granted schools the right to search students’ lockers, a strip search of any kind is in an entirely different category, legal experts say. “It’s a very different level of invasion of privacy if you are forced to take off your clothes, especially as a 15-year-old girl,” Toronto criminal lawyer Boris Bytensky told CTV News.
Most school boards across the country say their policy is clear: if a school official suspects that a student has drugs, the matter would be turned over to police. However, Bolduc said it would be inappropriate to send police into schools to conduct strip searches. With a report from CTV’s Montreal Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin and files from CTV Montreal