The International Criminal Court has confirmed 39 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Joseph Kony, the former leader of Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), in a major step that could pave the way for a trial once he is arrested.
Kony, who has been at large since the ICC first issued a warrant for his arrest in 2005, is alleged to have ordered mass killings, rape, the abduction of children and the use of child fighters between 2002 and 2005. He remains the Court’s most famous and longest-running fugitive.
Judges rejected a request by court-appointed lawyers to halt the proceedings and ruled that prosecutors had presented enough evidence to proceed with all 39 charges — including murder, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, forced marriage, and the use of child soldiers.
“The chamber finds substantial grounds to believe Mr Kony issued standing orders to attack civilians, kill and abuse them, loot property, and abduct women and children into the LRA,” the judges wrote in their ruling, adding that Kony also faces 10 counts for crimes he is accused of committing personally against two women who were held as forced wives.
The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor welcomed the decision, calling it a significant milestone for survivors and a step toward eventual accountability. Prosecutors say efforts to locate and apprehend the 64-year-old warlord continue, though his exact whereabouts remain unknown.
Kony’s LRA launched its insurgency in the late 1980s with the stated aim of toppling the Ugandan government. The group became notorious for widespread atrocities across northern Uganda — atrocities that, according to UN estimates, left around 100,000 people dead and displaced millions. While the LRA has effectively collapsed in recent years, many survivors and affected communities have long demanded justice.
The ICC’s confirmation of all charges is expected to accelerate international cooperation and could revive diplomatic pressure on countries in the region to assist in arresting Kony if he is found.
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Source:Africa Publicity
