The International Criminal Court (ICC) has launched its first-ever in absentia hearing, presenting evidence on Tuesday against fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, founder of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
Kony, who has evaded capture for nearly two decades, faces 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, enslavement, and the use of child soldiers. The LRA, which emerged in the late 1980s, waged a campaign of terror across northern Uganda before extending its violence into the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic.
ICC Prosecutor Leonie von Braun told judges that Kony’s leadership and intent were undeniable. “When looking holistically at the evidence, there can’t be any doubt. Mr. Kony commanded the LRA … He acted with intent and knowledge, which you can see from his own statement … his conduct is also of such a nature that it could only have been undertaken intentionally,” she said.
Prosecutors presented video evidence, including police footage of a victim’s body recovered from a burned building, arguing that such atrocities were carried out under Kony’s direct orders.
The ICC issued its first warrant for Kony’s arrest in 2005. This week’s proceedings serve as a confirmation of charges hearing, with judges set to decide in the coming months whether sufficient evidence exists to move forward.
Kony is represented in absentia by a defence lawyer, but a full trial cannot begin unless he is captured and brought before the court.
