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Jean-Pierre Bemba
Congolese politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo (born 4 November 1962)[1] is a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). After he served as Deputy Prime Minister of Defense 2023 to 2024, he was moved to the Deputy Prime Minister of Transportation.[2][3][4] He was previously one of four vice-presidents in the transitional government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 17 July 2003 to December 2006.[5] He led the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), a rebel group turned political party. He received the second-highest number of votes in the 2006 presidential election. In January 2007, he was elected to the Senate.
Jean-Pierre Bemba | |
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![]() Bemba in 2005. | |
Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Transportation | |
Assumed office 12 June 2024 | |
President | Félix Tshisekedi |
Prime Minister | Judith Suminwa Tuluka |
Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Defense | |
In office 23 March 2023 – 12 June 2024 | |
President | Félix Tshisekedi |
Prime Minister | Sama Lukonde |
Preceded by | Gilbert Kabanda Rukemba |
Succeeded by | Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita |
Vice President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
In office 17 July 2003 – 6 December 2006 | |
President | Joseph Kabila |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Personal details | |
Born | Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo (1962-11-04) 4 November 1962 (age 61) Bokada, Equateur Province, Republic of the Congo |
Nationality | Congolese |
Political party | Movement for the Liberation of the Congo |
Parent |
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Alma mater | ICHEC Brussels Management School |
Occupation | Politician |
In 2008, during a trip to Europe, Bemba was arrested on International Criminal Court charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes.[6] He spent the following 10 years in prison at The Hague, The Netherlands; 8 years awaiting trial and verdict, then 2 more years after conviction in 2016.[7] In 2018, the verdicts were overturned on appeal.[8] The court ruled that because the Rome Statute which sets the court's rules do not limit the amount of time a person can spend in prison awaiting trial, Bemba was not entitled to compensation. It called on member states to urgently review the relevant provisions in the statute.[9] No such review has yet taken place. In 2018, Bemba returned to the DRC where he has since been active in national politics.[10]