Ongwen case: Confirmation of charges hearing, 25-26 January, Defence presentation mixdown

The Confirmation of Charges hearing in the Domenic Ongwen case started on Thursday, 21 January 2016, at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. On the 21st and 22nd January - Office of the Prosecutor presented documents, maps, and recordings of intercepted radio communications, videos, witness statements and other evidence in support of the request to the Chamber to confirm the charges against Domenic Ongwen.

Dominic Ongwen, alleged Brigade Commander of the Sinia Brigade of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during attacks against the civilian population in Lukodi, Pajule, Odek and Abok IDP camps between October 2003 and June 2004; murder and attempted murder; torture; cruel treatment and other inhumane acts; enslavement; outrages upon personal dignity; pillaging and destruction of property. Further, the Prosecution alleges that from at least 1 July 2002 until 31 December 2005, Domenic Ongwen, Joseph Kony and the other Sinia Brigade commanders were part of a common plan to abduct women and girls in northern Uganda that were then used as forced wives and sex slaves, tortured, raped and made to serve as domestic help; and to conscript and use children under the age of 15 to participate actively in hostilities.

Dominic Ongwen’s Defence team continued presentation of evidence on 25 and 26 January 2016. Abigail Bridgman, said that after extensive investigation the Defence concluded that their client was most probably born in May 1978 which means that he was 9 and a half years old when he was abducted and “forced into a world that no child should bear witness to”. Because of this, she further said, Judges should “exclude any criminal liability on the part of Dominic Ongwen”.

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