by Nurat Uthman
The International Criminal Court (ICC) have ruled that prosecutors can bring a hearing on charges against fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony in his absence on Oct. 15.
Judges at the pre-trial chamber II of the “ICC” Monday issued the decision on the prosecutor’s request to hold a confirmation of charges hearing in the case against Joseph Kony in the suspect’s absence, should he not appear.
Monday’s ICC Chamber, composed of Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Presiding, Judge Tomoko Akane and Judge Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godínez, had previously already considered that Mr Kony qualifies as a “person who cannot be found” within the meaning of article 61(2)(b) of the Rome Statute.
Kony, the founder and leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), is the ICC’s longest standing fugitive. ICC prosecutors are looking to charge him with 36 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity which includes murder, rape, using child soldiers, sexual slavery, forced marriage and forced pregnancy.
The Ugandan militant denies all of the allegations. His LRA rebel group terrorized Ugandans for nearly two decades as it battled the government of President Yoweri Museveni from bases in northern Uganda and neighboring countries.
According to U.N. figures, about 100,000 people were killed in the conflict. An arrest warrant was issued against Kony in 2005.
In today’s decision, the Chamber instructed the ICC Registry to make its best efforts to inform Mr Kony that a confirmation of charges hearing in absentia will take place on 15 October 2024.
