LRA’s Dominic Ongwen Sentenced Today To 25 Years In Prison

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Uganda news May 6, 2021

Later on today, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will deliver its sentence to the senior commander of the LRA, Dominic Ongwen. Earlier this year, Ongwen was found guilty of 61 offenses of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

He is said to have committed these crimes between 2003 and 2004 in Northern Uganda under the civil rebellion led by Joseph Kony.

Despite being found guilty, the ICC reserved his sentencing then for another date, that other date happening to be today.

It’s upon this background that the court came together about fourteen days ago with an aim of determining the weight of the punishment. He will get it today.

‘’The chamber will now retire to deliberate. It will render the sentence with the reasoning on Thursday, May 6 at 11 o’clock and of course here in the courtroom the summary of the reasoning,’’ Justice Bertram Schmitt said.

While the country awaits to know the punishment Ongwen will receive, a death penalty is not one of the punishments. This is because the Rome Statute does not provide for that t as it is with Uganda’s criminal justice system.

Sentences by the ICC go up to 30 years imprisonment. Meanwhile, under unexceptional circumstances, life imprisonment, or a fine can be imposed.

However, during the recent mitigation session, the prosecution asked the court to imprison Ongwen for at least 20 years.

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