NEWS– The International Criminal Court Judges have ruled that prosecutors can bring a hearing on charges against fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony in his absence on October 15th 2024.
Kony is the founder and leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) whose arrest warrant was issued in 2005 by the International Criminal Court and prosecutors are looking to charge him with 36 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, rape, using child soldiers, sexual slavery, forced marriage and forced pregnancy.
The Lords Resistance Army sowed fear among Ugandans for nearly 20 years as it battled the government of President Yoweri Museveni from bases in northern Uganda and neighboring countries, but has now largely been wiped out, but according to UN about 100,000 people were killed in the conflict.
According to prosecutors Kony had ultimate power over the entire Lords Resistance Army and led a coordinated campaign to abduct children to integrate them into the LRA rebel ranks.
The abducted children were subjected to a carefully designed and coordinated regime of physical and psychological violence including sometimes being forced to beat and even kill other abductees.
Warlord Joseph Kony, who remains at large, has said he is not guilty of the allegations against him, but in late 2022 ICC prosecutor Karim Kahn requested a hearing in the case to offer a meaningful milestone for victims and to present the depth of evidence gathered against the rebel leader.
This is the first time since the International Criminal Court became a legal reality in 2002 that its judges have allowed a so-called confirmation of charges hearing without the suspect present and could have a legal implications for other cases with fugitive suspects.
Other high-profile International Criminal Court fugitives include Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted on charges of child abduction in Ukraine, and former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, wanted for alleged genocide in Darfur and whereas Russia denies committing war crimes in Ukraine, Sudanese authorities dismissed the court charges when the warrant against President Bashir was issued in 2009.
