Captured Ugandan rebel chief to face charges at ICC

Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army chief Dominic Ongwen will be transferred to the International Criminal Court, Washington has confirmed. Ongwen was seized by US forces in the Central African Republic last week.

Deutsche Welle, 13 Jan 2015

Ongwen, who was in the custody of US special forces after surrendering last week, will be turned over to the African Union Regional Task Force and then transferred to the Hague, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf announced Tuesday.

"The United States understands that the governments of Central African Republic and Uganda have consulted and are in agreement that Ongwen will be transferred to ICC to face justice for his alleged crimes," Harf said.

Ongwen will face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Lord's Resistance Army has been blamed for the slaughter of over 100,000 people and the kidnapping of more than 60,000 children during a campaign across five central African nations that went on for over three decades.

A former child soldier himself, Ongwen was a senior aide to LRA leader and warlord Joseph Kony. A Pentagon spokesman had earlier said Ongwen had been turned over to US forces by a "third party."

The Ugandan army said it had been decided that Ongwen would be sent to the ICC to face charges, ending speculation that Kampala might seek to put him on trial in its own court.

glb/lw (AFP, AP)