ICC Unseals Results of Dominic Ongwen DNA Tests

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

Yesterday, 6 July 2006, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC unsealed the results of DNA tests conducted on the corpse reported to be that of Lord's Resistance Army commander Dominic Ongwen. The DNA results are negative, meaning that the body is not that of Dominic Ongwen.

Media reports indicated that on 30 September 2005 Dominic Ongwen was killed in Soroti District, North-Eastern Uganda. The Ugandan Government requested the assistance of the Office of the Prosecutor to conduct DNA tests to confirm the identity of the body as the original identification was complicated by the poor condition of the body.

LRA commander Dominic Ongwen is charged by the ICC with seven counts of War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity. Interpol issued a Red Notice for the arrest of Ongwen on 1 June 2006.

The Office of the Prosecutor considers Ongwen to be at large.  Reports indicate that Ongwen is currently in the South-East Equatorial Province, Southern Sudan, attempting to cross the Nile to join LRA Headquarters in Northern Democratic Republic of Congo.