ICC insists on January trial for LRA’s Ongwen

Gulu. The International Criminal Court (ICC), has maintained that the confirmation hearing for the former LRA Commander Dominic Ongwen will start on January 21, despite a request for delay by his defence lawyers.
Mr Ongwen is the first LRA commander to appear before the ICC. The court in 2005 indicted five top LRA commanders, including rebel leader Joseph Kony, of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Others were Ongwen, Okot Odhiambo, Vincent Otti and Raska Lukwiya.

Ongwen, who was arrested in the Central Africa Republic, faces charges for 67 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Recently, the ICC added an additional 60 charges that include alleged murder, looting, torture, cruel treatment, inhumane acts and sexual abuse.
Mr Phakiso Mochochoko, the director Jurisdiction, Complementary and Cooperation Division at the ICC, at the weekend said Ongwen’s defence team had requested for a deferment due to the bulk of new evidence.

“Currently, the date still stands as January 21. Ongwen’s defense made a request to have the trial postponed and the matter is before the judges,” Mr Mochochoko told journalists in Gulu Town at the weekend.
Mr Paul Bradfield, a prosecutor in Mr Ongwen’s case, confirmed to Daily Monitor in an interview that Ongwen’s defence team requested for a postponement, adding that they are yet to receive feedback on whether the judges will postpone the trial date.

BACKGROUND
Recently ICC dropped their plans to hold a hearing in Uganda to confirm the charges against Mr Ongwen, fearing political tensions ahead of the upcoming general election.