Judges at the International Criminal Court have rejected an appeal by prosecutors against the release of a Congolese man acquitted this week of leading rebel fighters responsible for massacring some 200 villagers in eastern Congo.

Mathieu Ngudjolo was cleared Tuesday of charges including murder, rape and pillage at the end of his trial. He is the first suspect acquitted by ICC judges.

Prosecutors have appealed the acquittals and sought to have Ngudjolo kept in custody, arguing that if he is released he may never return to court.

The court said in a statement Thursday that arrangements are now being made to release Ngudjolo to a country that agrees to accept him.