The Prosecutor v. Ongwen

• Allegations & Charges

  Factual Allegations

  The ICC Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) alleges that Dominic Ongwen was Brigade Commander of the Sinia Brigade of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and that Mr. Ongwen was, along with Joseph Kony (Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the LRA) and Vincent Otti (Vice-Chairman and Second-in-Command of the LRA), a member of the “Control Altar,” which is the leadership group that conceived of, planned, and implemented LRA strategy which included campaigns to attack civilian settlements and standing orders to attack, abduct, and loot civilians. 

  From 2002 to 2005, Mr. Ongwen, as alleged by the OTP, did the following: (1) along with Vincent Otti, Raska Lukwiya, and Bogi Bosco, planned and implemented an October 2003 attack upon Pajule IDP Camp which was carried out by LRA forces; (2) along with Joseph Kony and other Sinia and Trinkle Brigade Commanders, planned and implemented an April 2004 attack upon Odek IDP Camp which was carried out by LRA forces; (3) planned and implemented a May 2004 attack upon Lukodi IDP camp which was carried out by LRA forces; and (4) planned and implemented a June 2004 attack upon Abok IDP Camp which was carried out by LRA forces. Mr. Ongwen’s ordered attacks included not only murders of civilians, physical beatings and physical mutilations of civilians, and forced marches and forced labor under threat of death, but also the abduction and enslavement of women and girls as sexual slaves and forced conjugal partners and the abduction and enlistment of children as forced fighters.

  Please visit the Court’s website for more information on The Prosecutor v. Ongwen.

  Charges

  The Accused is alleged to have ordered, solicited, or induced the commission of the the crimes listed below under Article 25(3)(b) of the Rome Statute.

  Under this mode of criminal liability, the Accused is charged with the following atrocity crimes:

  Murder (Crime against Humanity): Article 7(1)(a)

  Enslavement (Crime against Humanity): Article 7(1)(c)

  Inhumane Acts (Crime against Humanity): Article 7(1)(k)

  Murder (War Crime): Article 8(2)(c)(i)-1

  Cruel Treatment of Civilians (War Crime): Article 8(2)(c)(i)-3

  Directing an Attack against Civilians (War Crime): Article 8(2)(e)(i)

  Pillaging (War Crime) Article 8(2)(e)(v)

• Key Events

  • Pre-Trial Chamber II issued a sealed arrest warrant for Dominic Ongwen on July 8, 2005, which was unsealed on October 13, 2005. Mr. Ongwen surrendered in the Central African Republic on January 16, 2015 and was transferred to ICC custody on January 17, 2015. Mr. Ongwen made an initial appearance before Pretrial Chamber II on January 26, 2015.

    Pre-Trial Chamber II severed the proceedings against Mr. Ongwen from the case on February 6, 2015 due to the absence of other suspects (Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, and Okot Odhiambo) whose whereabouts were still unknown and the risk of serious prejudice to Mr. Ongwen’s defense from further delay in the proceedings. 

    On March 23, 2016, Pre-Trial Chamber II confirmed the charges; on April 29, 2016, Pre-Trial Chamber II rejected the Defence’s request for leave to appeal issues in the confirmation of charges decision.

    On May 30, 2016, Trial Chamber IX set the trial commencement date for December 6, 2016.

  • Arrest warrant

    Arrest Warrant Issued : July 8, 2005

  • Press release

    Initial Appearance : January 26, 2015

  • Decision severing the case against Dominic Ongwen
    Press release

    Severing of the cases of Dominic Ongwen and Joseph Kony et al. : February 6, 2015

  • Statement of ICC Spokesperson
    Decision on the confirmation of charges
    Press release

    Confirmation of Charges : March 24, 2016