Prime
Ongwen: ICC to deliver compensatory orders
This handout picture taken on May 6, 2021, and released by the International Criminal Court (ICC) shows Dominic Ongwen, a senior commander in Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), during his trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague. PHOTO/AFP
What you need to know:
- Court will be expected to rule on financial reparations that Ongwen will make to his victims as he operated under the fugitive Joseph Kony-led militia.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) will deliver the order for reparations (compensation) to victims in the case involving jailed former Lord Resistance Army (LRA) rebel commander on February 28, it has announced.
According to a statement issued early Wednesday by the ICC, the order will be delivered during a public hearing in courtroom I of the Hague-based court in the presence, live or remotely, of Ongwen, his defense team, legal representatives of victims, and the common legal representative of victims.
The court statement further indicates that the Trust Fund for victims and the office of the prosecutor are also invited to attend this hearing- and that the session will be transmitted live through the ICC website.
Reparations are broadly understood as compensation given for an abuse or injury.
Its compensation in money, material, labor, or labor form is payable by a defeated country to another country or an individual for loss suffered during or as a result of war.
Court will be expected to rule on financial reparations that Ongwen will make to his victims as he operated under the fugitive Joseph Kony-led militia.
On February 4, 2021, Trial Chamber IX found Ongwen guilty of at least 61 crimes comprising crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005.
On May 6, 2021, Trial Chamber IX sentenced Ongwen to 25 years of imprisonment but being dissatisfied with the decision, he appealed.
The Appeals Chamber of the same court on December 15, 2022, upheld the decisions of Trial Chamber IX on Ongwen’s 25-year jail sentence.
The conviction and the sentence are now final.
He was on December 18, 2023, transferred to Norway to serve his sentence.
On May 6, 2021, the chamber issued an order for submissions on reparations.
