Captured LRA top commander Ongwen for ICC

By Vision Reporter

Captured Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Dominic Ongwen will be tried at the International Criminal Court, government announced Tuesday.

“Finally it has been decided. Dominic Ongwen will be tried at the ICC in The Hague. Domnic Ongwen will be conveyed to the Hague by Central African Republic authorities,” army spokesperson Lt. Col Paddy Ankunda tweeted.

Meanwhile, State House has clarified that the President cannot forgive rebels who commit crimes against humanity.

Deputy Presidential Press Secretary, Lindah Nabusayi, said in a statement: “There have been various media reports alleging that ICC fugitive Dominic Ongwen who surrendered to the American Special Forces in the Central African Republic (CAR) had received a Presidential Pardon from President Yoweri Museveni.

In his purported defection audio message dated January 9th, 2015 from Obo, CAR, Dominic Ongwen claims that `Even the President has agreed to forgive me since I surrendered on my own’.

This is to clarify that amnesty is provided to rebel combatants who abandon and/or renounce involvement in war against the State or the Constitution or treasonable acts.”

She explained that the President would only provide pardon through the amnesty if Dominic Ongwen was involved in a rebellion against government – fighting government soldiers etc and renounces his acts.

“The President has no prerogative and does not claim to have it to pardon terrorists who have abused the sanctity of human life,” she said.