Former Ugandan rebel leader convicted of war crimes

February 4, 2021 Elwin Mandowa

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Former Ugandan rebel leader, Dominic Ongwen has been convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal court.

Ongwen who was once a Ugandan child soldier became the Lord’s Resistance Army commander.

The ICC convicted the 45-year old of war crimes and crimes against humanity on Thursday.

Ongwen, was found guilty of several charges for many acts of terror in the early 2000s,.

The court convicted him for the crime of forced pregnancy relating to women he took as sex slaves.

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“His guilt has been established beyond any reasonable doubt,” presiding judge Bertram Schmitt said as he read out the verdict in the tribunal in The Hague.

According to the court Ongwen ordered attacks on four refugee camps as a senior commander in the LRA.

Ongwen’s case is the first of it’s kind to be heard by the ICC as an alleged perpetrator and victim of war crimes who was abducted by the LRA as a child.

Although Ongwen’s history as an abducted child turned fighter could be considered in his sentencing, the judge maintained that he is being tried for his actions as an adult.

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“This case is about crimes committed by Dominic Ongwen as a fully responsible adult as a commander of the LRA in his mid-to late 20s” Schmitt said.

The judges will address his sentencing at a later date although his lawyers have asked for an acquittal.