Adek, a former LRA negotiator is appearing before the ICC as a defense witness in the case of Ongwen who is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanities.
The Chief of the Pageya Clan, Yusuf Adek has told the International Criminal Court- ICC that Dominic Ongwen was not responsible for the attack on Lukodi IDP Camp in 2004.
Adek, a former LRA negotiator is appearing before the ICC as a defense witness in the case of Ongwen who is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanities.
According to Adek, who was answering questions asked by the defense Lawyer Crispus Ayena Odongo at the court on Tuesday, said that he first heard of Dominic Ongwen in Lukodi camp attack after the case was referred to the ICC by the government.
"I don't know if Ongwen sanctioned the attack on Lukodi even if he was not around the area, but reports show that someone else committed the atrocities, and I have personally seen him," Adek told court.
He however did not tell court the person he saw attacking the camp.
Ongwen is being accused of crimes committed in Abok in Oyam district, Lukodi in Gulu district, Pajule in Pader, and Odek in Omoro district.
In January, a former long-serving member of the LRA while testifying before the ICC insisted that Ongwen participated in attacking Lukodi.
During the attack at Lukodi, many IDPs who included children were burnt alive in huts that the rebels set on fire.
Adek also told court that the government deliberately forced people into IDPs in order to deny the rebels food. Adek explains that President Museveni once said that the rebels were getting food from the community for survival and that some residents were rebel collaborators.
According to Adek forcing people into the IDPs affected the Acholi culture since the parents shared rooms with children. He also said that people were not allowed to go back and harvest their crops in the gardens.
“If you were not inside the camp by 5:00 pm, you were treated as a rebel. This was so bad" he told court.
