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Dominic Ongwen, the former Lord’s Resistance Army(LRA) commander, will today face his verdict when the International Criminal Court delivers its judgment.
Ongwen, 45, is facing over 70 charges from offenses he committed while serving as a commander in the LRA under warlord Joseph Kony.
However, in his defense, the former rebel commander lined up over 60 defense witnesses. These include local leaders in Northern Uganda, former LRA fighters, former Kony wives. He even has former UPDF soldiers, witch doctors, and former LDU members to defend him in the court.
He insists that he is not personally liable for any crimes. He says he was also a victim of the abductions and was a slave of the rebel movement.
The International Criminal Court will, however, give its verdict after weighing evidence from both the prosecution and Ongwen’s arguments in the case.
The accusations against Dominic Ongwen
The Ugandan government in 2005 referred five top LRA leaders to the ICC. They include Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Raska Lukwiya, Dominic Ongwen, and Odhiambo Okot. The government referred to the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity in northern Uganda.
However, of these, only Ongwen and Kony are still alive with the rest dead or believed to have been killed.
The prosecution accuses Ongwen of commanding LRA rebels who attacked four camps of displaced people. These were in Pajule in Pader District, Abok, Lukodi, Odek in Gulu, and Oyam districts.
Under his command, his subordinates killed, raped, and looted among other crimes.
Nicknamed the “White Ant”, Ongwen is the first LRA commander to face trial over the insurgency in Northern and Eastern Uganda.
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- Why Another Senior (LRA) Kony Rebel Surrendered
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