Gulu Residents Speak Out On Kony ICC Trial
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is considering having more charges put against Joseph Kony, the leader of the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Kony has been elusive for almost 20 years since the ICC first slapped the charges in 2005. The COU Family TV reporter in Gulu city spoke to a number of residents who expressed mixed feelings on the new development.
The International Cooperation Adviser, from the office of the ICC Chief Prosecutor, Dahirou Sant-Anna, told journalists in Kampala that more investigations are being conducted to back up the new charges and also support their case against LRA leader Joseph Kony when the hearing of the confirmation charges session starts.
Dahirou told journalists that the ICC may bring up more charges against Kony, in addition to the earlier 33 charges that were brought against him in 2005. The ICC based in the Hague, Netherlands issued an arrest warrant for Kony in 2005 on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, enslavement, rape, sexual slavery and intentionally attacking civilians.
Now the Office of the ICC Chief Prosecutor has submitted the request to the Judges to have the charges against Kony confirmed in his absence.
We spoke to Evaline Amony, former LRA abductees who said that the ICC is spending money on baseless and non-productive activities instead of having the victims like her compensated.
Another former abductee, 40 year old Jennifer Amony, a resident of Pece-Laroo Division in Gulu city, said that Kony trial will have no impact and is a waste of resources. She asked the ICC to instead use the money for reparations and support the LRA victims who are facing numerous challenges.
On 24th November 2022 the ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, made an application to ICC judges seeking to have Kony tried in absentia for having eluded justice for 17 years now.
Article 61 (2)b of the Rome Statute allows the prosecutor to request the chamber to continue the hearing when the suspect has fled, or cannot be found and that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that he appears before the judges.
Kony terrorized northern Uganda for over 20 years, a rebellion that left more than 100,000 people killed and more than 2 million others displaced.
One of his top commanders, Dominic Ongwen, had his 25-jail term upheld by the ICC Appeals Chambers late 2022. The ICC investigation into the situation in Uganda was opened in 2004.
