Kony Case

The Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony

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Pre-trial

At large

Joseph Kony

Alleged Commander-in-Chief of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), at time of warrant. Arrest warrant: 8 July 2005

Charges: 12 counts of crimes against humanity: murder, enslavement, sexual enslavement, rape, inhumane acts of inflicting serious bodily injury and suffering; and 21 counts of war crimes: murder, cruel treatment of civilians, intentionally directing an attack against a civilian population, pillaging, inducing rape, and forced enlistment of children, allegedly committed after 1 July 2002 in northern Uganda. While case originally involved Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo and Vincent Otti, proceedings against them were terminated due to their passing.

Case closed

Okot Odhiambo

Alleged Deputy Army Commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), at time of warrant. Arrest warrant: 8 July 2005 - Unsealed on 13 October 2005

Charges: 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 enlistment of children, allegedly committed after 1 July 2002 in northern Uganda. Case against him terminated on 10 September 2015, following his passing. Case also involved Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti and Raska Lukwiya. Proceedings against Raska Lukwiya and Vincent Otti were also terminated due to their passing.

Case closed

Vincent Otti

Alleged Vice-Chairman and Second-in-Command of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), at time of warrant. Arrest warrant: 8 July 2005 - Unsealed on 13 October 2005

Charges: 11 counts of crimes against humanity: murder, sexual enslavement, inhumane acts of inflicting serious bodily injury and suffering; and 21 counts of war crimes: inducing rape, intentionally directing an attack against a civilian population, forced enlistment of children, cruel treatment of civilians, pillaging, and murder, allegedly committed after 1 July 2002 in northern Uganda. Case against him terminated on 17 November 2023, following his passing. Case also involved Joseph Kony, Raska Lukwiya and Okot Odhiambo. Proceedings against Raska Lukwiya and Okot Odhiambo were also terminated due to their passing.

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  • The warrants of arrest in this case were issued under seal on 8 July 2005 and unsealed on 13 October 2005. The suspect Joseph Kony is still at large. While the case originally involved Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo and Vincent Otti, proceedings against them were terminated due to their passing.

    Next steps: Until the suspect is arrested and transferred to the seat of the Court in The Hague, the case will remain in the Pre-Trial stage. The ICC does not try individuals unless they are present in the courtroom.

  • DOCUMENTS

Pre-Trial Chamber II

Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala (President Judge)
Judge Antoine Kesia-Mbe Mindua
Judge Tomoko Akane

Office of the Prosecutor

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Defence

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Legal Representatives of the Victims

​​N/A

Situation Uganda referred to the ICC

Government of Uganda refers situation to the ICC.

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Investigations begin in Uganda

OTP opens investigations in Uganda, makes public announcement.

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Arrest warrants requested

​OTP submits application to Pre-Trial Judges requesting arrest warrants for 5 suspects: Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo, Dominic Ongwen and Raska Lukwiya

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Arrest warrants issued under seal

​Pre-Trial Judges issue arrest warrant under seal for the 5 suspects.Arrest Warrants:Vincent OttiOkot OdhiamboDominic OngwenRaska LukwiyaJoseph KonyPress release

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Request for cooperation

​Pre-Trial Judges ask the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Sudan to search for, arrest, detain and surrender the suspects to the Court

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Arrest warrants unsealed

​Pre-Trial Judges unseal the arrest warrants

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Proceedings against Mr Lukwiya terminated

Pre-Trial Judges terminate proceedings against Mr Lukwiya following his death on 12 August 2006 Press release 

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Admissibility proceedings

​​Pre-Trial Judges initiate proceedings to determine the admissibility of the case, appointed a Defence Counsel, and invited the Prosecutor, the Defence, the Government of Uganda and victims, to submit their observations

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Decision: Case declared admissible

​Pre-Trial Chamber II determines the case is admissible

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Appeals Chamber confirms admissibility

​Appeals Chamber confirms Pre-Trial Chamber II's admissibility decision in response to Defence appeal

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Mr Ongwen surrenders (See Ongwen case)

Press release

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Mr Ongwen transferred to ICC custody (See Ongwen case)

​Mr Ongwen transferred and surrendered to the ICC through cooperation with the United Nations and in particular the MINUSCA, and the authorities of Central African Republic, Uganda, the United States of America, Belgium and the Netherlands (the ICC host State), as well as to the African Union.Press release

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Mr Ongwen's first appearance (See Ongwen case)

​Pre-Trial phase begins as Mr Ongwen has first day in Court before Judges of Pre-Trial Chamber II

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Mr Ongwen's non-redacted arrest warrant released (See Ongwen case)

​Mr Ongwen's non-redacted arrest warrant and its translations in French and Acholi were reclassified as public, as instructed by Pre-Trial Chamber IIPress Release

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Ongwen case separated from Kony et al case (See Ongwen case)

​Press release

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Proceedings against Mr Odhiambo terminated

​Pre-Trial Judges terminate proceedings against Okot Odhiambo following the forensic confirmation of his passing on 27 October 2013Press release

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