The former Congolese rebel leader Bosco ‘The Terminator’ Ntaganda has pleaded not guilty on the first day of his trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Mr Ntaganda faces 18 charges, 13 on war crimes and 5 on crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, sexual slavery of civilians, displacement of civilians, forcible transfer of population, and the enlistment and conscription of child soldiers under the age of fifteen years and using them to participate actively in hostilities.
Over 2,000 witnesses, including former child soldiers, provided evidence for the trial.
The case is reported to be the biggest and most complex case in the ICC's history.
"Humanity demands justice for these crimes," ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told the court on Wednesday
Ntaganda trial date set by ICC (11 October 2014)