Congo’s Jean-Pierre Bemba guilty of bribing witnesses International Criminal Court rules

'Today's judgement sends a clear message: the court is not willing to allow its proceedings to be hampered,' says judge

Bemba's attempts to influence his trial failed: earlier this year he was jailed for 18 years (AP)

Former Vice President of Congo Jean-Pierre Bemba has been found guilty of bribing witnesses by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Four members of his legal team were found guilty alonside him in the landmark corruption ruling, the first case where the court has found suspects guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Bemba's attempts to influence his trial failed. Earlier this year he was jailed for 18 years after being convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court said 14 key witnesses had been coached before giving evidence. Bemba and his team used secret phones and a code to instruct witnesses in exchange for cash, favours and other bribes.

Delivering the verdict, Judge Bertram Schmitt said: "No legal system in the world can accept the bribing of witnesses, the inducement of witnesses to lie or the coaching of witnesses.

“Today's judgement sends a clear message that the court is not willing to allow its proceedings to be hampered or destroyed," Reuters reported.

Also found guilty were Congolese politician Fidele Babala; Bemba's lawyer Aime Kilolo; his legal case manager Jean-Jacques Mangenda; and Narcisse Arido, a witness for the defence.

Those convicted face sentences of up to five years, or a fine, or both.

Bemba's human rights conviction was the ICC's first verdict that recognised rape as a weapon of war.

Three judges found Bemba responsible as military commander for the war crimes committed by the Movement for the Liberation of Congo which was fighting to reverse a coup against the then Central African Republican president, Ange Felix Patasse.

The judges ruled that Bemba could have ended the mass rape and murder at any point but chose not to.