ICC Convicts Former Child Soldier turned Rebel Commander of War Crimes

Ugandan former rebel commander Dominic Ongwen has been found guilty of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Africa News reports that Ongwen was a former child soldier turned rebel commander. He had been accused of 70 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Amongst the charges Ongwen faced were murder, rape, torture, sexual slavery and use of child soldiers between 2002 and 2004, while he was a commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda. According to rights groups the LRA had abducted tens of thousands of children and had used them as fighters and sexual slaves. Further, thousands of civilians in Uganda, Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic had been killed and maimed during the LRA’s three-decade rebellion.

On trial in December 2016, Ongwen pleaded not guilty to the charges. Africa News reports that he continues to deny all accusations. However, presiding judge, Bertram Schmitt, said that Ongwen’s guilt had been established beyond any reasonable doubt.

Ongwen faces life in prison. His case had perplexed the ICC as Ongwen was both the victim, having been abducted by the LRA and forced to be a child soldier, as well as the alleged perpetrator.

Umm Muhammed Umar

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