ICC Sets September Hearing Against Fugitive LRA Warlord Joseph Kony

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has scheduled a three-day confirmation of charges hearing against Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, to run from September 9 to 11, 2025, at its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.

According to Jimmy Otim, the ICC’s Public Information and Outreach Assistant in Uganda, the hearing will proceed in absentia, and Kony will be legally represented by Counsel Peter Haynes and his team.

“This is not a trial. It’s a preliminary stage where the Pre-Trial Chamber assesses whether there is sufficient evidence to commit the case to trial,” Otim told stakeholders during a meeting at Gracious Palace Hotel in Lira City.

Kony Faces 39 Counts Over Atrocities in Northern Uganda

Joseph Kony faces 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, sexual slavery, forced enlistment of child soldiers, enslavement, and other brutal acts allegedly committed between July 1, 2002, and December 31, 2005, in northern Uganda.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Kony and four other LRA commanders in 2005. Among them:

• Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo, and Raska Lukwiya have since been confirmed dead.
  
• Dominic Ongwen, abducted as a child and later rising to a command rank, was convicted in 2021 of 61 crimes and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He is serving his sentence in Norway.
  

Despite years of international effort, Kony remains at large. His exact whereabouts are unknown, though he has been reported to operate in the remote border regions of the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Court Proceeds Without the Suspect but the Trial Will Require His Arrest

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber ruled that the hearing could proceed in Kony’s absence under Article 61(2)(b) of the Rome Statute, which allows for such a step if the suspect cannot be found despite reasonable efforts. However, if the chamber confirms the charges, the case can only proceed to full trial if Kony is arrested and brought before the court.

Otim clarified that live broadcasts of the hearings will be held in Lira City (Lango), Gulu (Acholi), and Soroti (Teso) to ensure public access, especially for communities affected by the LRA insurgency.

Survivors Call for Justice and Reconciliation

During the outreach event in Lira, several stakeholders emphasized the importance of justice and healing.

Margaret Akullo Elem, a community leader, said while international prosecution targets top commanders, Uganda should implement the traditional justice system of “matoput,” a cultural ritual of truth-telling, reconciliation, and reintegration.

“If the International Crime Division is handling the topmost perpetrator, we should also deal with traditional peace-building methods to heal victims who were indirectly affected,” she said.

Matthew Omara, chairperson of the Lira Disabled Persons Association, called for sign-language interpreters to be part of the live broadcast teams to ensure accessibility for the hearing-impaired.

Agnes Acen, Executive Director of the Women’s Forum for Peace and Development, welcomed the court process and said her “prayer is that all 39 charges are confirmed and Kony is brought to book.”