On 30 May 2016, The Trial Chamber IX of the International Criminal Court (ICC) scheduled the opening of the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen for 6 December 2016. This date was set by the Chamber after noting the respective submissions by the Prosecution and the Defence as well as the necessary time for the disclosure of evidence and other materials.
In addition, the Chamber decided that it will only hear opening statements on 6 December 2016. The presentation of evidence by the Prosecution in the case will commence in January 2017 and the exact date will be announced in due course.
The trial is conducted by Trial Chamber IX, composed of Judge Bertram Schmitt, Presiding Judge, Judge Peter Kovacs and Judge Raul C. Pangalangan.
Background: On 23 March 2016, Pre-Trial Chamber II confirmed the 70 charges brought by the Prosecutor against Dominic Ongwen, as alleged former Commander in the Sinia Brigade of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and committed him to trial.
The confirmed charges concern crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during attacks against the Pajule IDP (October 2003), Odek IDP (April 2004) Lukodi IDP (May 2004) and Abok IDP camps (June 2004), as well as sexual and gender-based crimes directly and indirectly committed by Dominic Ongwen and crimes of conscription and use in hostilities of children under the age of 15 allegedly committed in northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005.
Mr Ongwen was surrendered to the ICC on 16 January 2015 pursuant to an ICC warrant of arrest and transferred to the Court’s custody on 21 January 2015.
