 Nine police officers and 10 soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been convicted of rape and giving jail sentences. A military court handed down prison terms ranging from 12 months to 20 years and ordered the convict to pay damages of between $2,000 to $10,000 to the survivors who were mostly minors. Four accused were also acquitted by the court. The offenses were committed in different areas of the DR Congo South Kivu province including Walungu, Kabare, Uvira and Fizi. Lawyers of the survivors have held a ruling but the convict intend to challenge the verdicts.