Dominic Ongwen Begins Defense in ICC

Dominic Ongwen, the former commander of the Lord's Resistance Army- LRA who is standing trial at the International Criminal Court-ICC will today begin submission of his defense this morning.

Ongwen, indicted for the most number of war crimes and crimes against humanity is facing up to 70 charges at The Hague based International court.

The charges relate to attacks on civilians who had sought government protections in Lukodi, Pajule, Abok and Odek internally displaced persons' camps in Northern Uganda between 1st July 2002 and 31st December 2005. 

Ongwen who pleaded not guilty to all the charges at the beginning of his trial in 2016 declined to make his opening statement in the case at the time. His lead lawyer Krispus Ayena Odongo says Ongwen has finally understood the scope of the charges brought against him.

Ayena says the time is now right for Dominic Ongwen to demonstrate his innocence to the world. 

//Cue in: “It is a big day…

Cue out: “…directly in court”//

The statement will give a preview of the evidence the defense will adduce in favour of their client and what they think about the charges brought against him as well as some brief facts about witnesses among others.

Ayena says Ongwen is confident that he will prove to the court that the case against him is a case against the institution of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

//Cue in: “In my view…

Cue out: “…going to tell court”//.

In 2016, prosecutions told court that Ongwen was the tip of the spear for the Lord's Resistance Army.  Benjamin Gumpert, a senior prosecution lawyer said the charges against Ongwen relate to his adult life in the LRA.

//Cue in: “He went by different names…

Cue Out: “…carried out such attacks”//

The trial against Ongwen, 43, has made him the world's youngest former child soldier to be indicted with the most number of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges include rape, wilful killing, abductions and other inhumane acts of war crimes. He denied all the charges when his trial opened in 2016.

So far, Ongwen is the only commander of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) standing trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC indicted Ongwen alongside the founder of the rebel group Joseph Kony, Kony's deputy Vincent Otti, Raska Lukwiya and Okot Odhiambo.

Lukwiya and Odhiambo have been confirmed killed in battles with troops of Uganda People's Defense Forces while Otti is alleged to have been killed by Joseph Kony, the elusive warlord on whose head hangs an ICC arrest warrant.