ICC to proceed with Bemba war crimes trial

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has agreed to pursue the war crimes trial of DR Congo's former Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba.

An appeals panel at the court in The Hague rejected an appeal from his lawyers to dismiss the case.

Mr Bemba's lawyers had argued he had already been investigated in Central African Republic (CAR) and could not be prosecuted twice for the same crime.

Mr Bemba is accused of leading militias in CAR in 2002 and 2003.