ICC terminates proceedings against Okot Odhiambo following forensic confirmation of his passing

Situation: Uganda
Case: The Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti and Okot Odhiambo

Today, 10 September 2015, Pre-trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) terminated proceedings against the alleged Deputy Army Commander of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) Okot Odhiambo following the forensic confirmation of his passing.  

Pre-trial Chamber II's decision follows the reception of information and material provided by the Prosecutor, which establishes that a corpse exhumed by the Ugandan authorities in March 2015 was identified, through DNA testing, as that of Okot Odhiambo. The Chamber was informed that the Ugandan authorities have subsequently issued a death certificate, certifying that Okot Odhiambo died on 27 October 2013, 50 kilometres northeast of Djemah, Central African Republic.

Mr Odhiambo's case was joined to the case of other LRA commanders Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti who are still at large. While the case originally involved an additional suspect, Raska Lukwiya, proceedings against him were terminated due to his passing.

Background: The warrant of arrest against Okot Odhiambo was issued by Pre-Trial Chamber II under seal on 8 July 2005 and unsealed on 13 October 2005. As the alleged Brigade Commander of Trinkle and Stockree Brigades of the LRA, Mr Odhiambo was allegedly criminally responsible on the basis of his individual criminal responsibility for two counts of crimes against humanity (murder; and enslavement) and eight counts of war crimes (murder; intentionally directing an attack against a civilian population; pillaging; and forced enlisting of children). Mr Odhiambo's case was joined to the case of other LRA commanders Joseph Kony, Dominic Ongwen, and Vincent Otti. On 6 February 2015, Pre-Trial Chamber II severed the proceedings against Dominic Ongwen from the Kony et al. case following his surrender to the ICC custody on 16 January 2015.

Decision terminating proceedings against Okot Odhiambo

For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: [email protected].

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