Ongwen Case

The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen

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Convicted, In ICC custody

Dominic Ongwen

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

​Charges: 61 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed after 1 July 2002 in northern Uganda

  • The trial began on 6 December 2016. The Prosecution and the Defence have completed the presentation of their evidence. The Legal Representatives of Victims also called witnesses to appear before the Chamber. On 12 December 2019, the presiding judge declared the closure of the submission of evidence in the case. The closing briefs were filed on 24 February 2020. The closing statements took place from 10 to 12 March 2020. On 4 February 2021, Trial Chamber IX found Dominic Ongwen guilty for a total of 61 crimes comprising crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005. On 6 May 2021, Trial Chamber IX sentenced Dominic Ongwen to 25 years of imprisonment. 

    On 15 December 2022, the Appeals Chamber confirmed the decisions of Trial Chamber IX on Dominic Ongwen’s guilt and sentence. On 18 December 2023, Mr Ongwen was transferred to Norway to serve his sentence of imprisonment. 

    Next steps: The conviction and the sentence are now final. 

    A phase dedicated to the reparations to victims is ongoing. On 28 February 2024, Trial Chamber IX delivered its Order on Reparations to victims.

    Trial Judgment, 4 February 2021

    Transcript of the hearing, 4 February 2021

    Sentence, 6 May 2021

    Appeals judgment on the verdict, 15 December 2022

    Appeals judgment on the sentence, 15 December 2022

    Summary of the judgments : EnglishFrenchEspañol

    Reparations Order, 28 February 2024

Trial Chamber II

Judge Kimberly Prost
Judge Socorro Flores Liera
Judge Nicolas Guillou

Office of the Prosecutor

Karim A. A. Khan QC, Prosecutor

Defence

Charles Achaleke Taku

Legal Representatives of the Victims

​​Joseph Akwenyu Manoba 
Francisco Cox 
Paolina Massidda

Government referral

Government of Uganda refers situation to the ICC. Press release

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Investigations begin in Uganda

OTP opens investigations in Uganda, makes public announcementPress release

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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.Press 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

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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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Admissibility proceedings

OTP and the Defence make submissions on the admissibility of the case 

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Decision: Case is declared admissible

Pre-Trial Judges determine 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

Dominic Ongwen surrenders

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Mr Ongwen transferred to ICC custody

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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Dominic Ongwen makes first appearance before ICC

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

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Ongwen's non-redacted arrest warrant released

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

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Ongwen case separated from Kony et al case

Ongwen case separated from Kony et al case (See Kony et al casePress release

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Confirmation of charges hearing opens

​Pre-Trial phase continues as Pre-Trial Judges open hearing to decide whether or not to commit the Ongwen case to trial PhotographsMedia advisory

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Confirmation of charges hearing closes

​Pre-Trial Judges to deliberate and decide in due course whether or not to confirm the charges and commit the case to trial

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Pre-Trial Chamber confirms charges against Mr Ongwen

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Trial to open on 6 December 2016

​On 30 May 2016, Trial Chamber IX of the International Criminal Court (ICC) scheduled the opening of the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen for 6 December 2016. Press release

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Opening of the trial

​On 6 December 2016, the trial in the case The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen opened before Trial Chamber IX at the seat of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. Dominic Ongwen is accused of 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in northern Uganda.Press release

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