Kony’s ICC lawyers in Uganda for engagement with LRA victims
In a historic move, the ICC will, on September 9 this year, conduct a confirmation of charges hearing against Kony in his absence.
Joseph Kony's defence team (L-R): Christopher Gosnell, Lilian Atim, Peter Haynes, Lead Counsel, Kate Gibson, Co-Counsel, and Maria Kamara Mabinty, ICC Public Information and outreach co-ordinator for Uganda, addressing the media about the upcoming hearing against their client in absentia. This was at Hotel Africana on Thursday, August 7, 2025. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
By Farooq Kasule
Journalists @New Vision
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Lawyers appointed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to represent the interests of wanted Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony are in the country to engage with victims ahead of the confirmation of charges proceedings against him.
In a historic move, the ICC will, on September 9 this year, conduct a confirmation of charges hearing against Kony in his absence.
Speaking during a press conference at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Thursday, August 7, 2025, Peter Haynes, the lead counsel for Kony, said the week-long community engagements are aimed at understanding the victims’ views regarding the planned confirmation of charges in Kony’s absence.
Peter Haynes, Lead Counsel Kony Defence Team. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
“We are here to have direct engagements with the people of northern Uganda on whether they agree that there is a good cause to proceed with the confirmation of charges in the absence of Kony, as the ICC judges ruled,” Haynes said.
The now 64-year-old Kony faces 39 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, allegedly committed between July 2002 and December 2005 in northern Uganda.
During that period, Kony, the wanted commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), waged a rebellion against the government.
The rebellion resulted in the deaths of more than 10,000 people and the abduction of over 60,000 children in a reign of terror that spread to several neighbouring countries.
Haynes leads a team of eight defence lawyers. Others include Kate Gibson, Lilian Atim and Christopher Gosnell.
Kate Gibson, Co-Counsel Kony Defence Team. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
Christopher Gosnell, Joseph Kony's defence team. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
Lilian Atim, Joseph Kony's defence team. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
Haynes explained that while the ICC statute and its rules do not allow for trials in absentia, the pre-trial chamber deemed it appropriate in this case.
“We were assigned after the decision was made, and so the decision to proceed against Kony in absentia was made without our input. Therefore, we have been put in a situation that no lawyer has ever been in before because we have never interacted with him (Kony) and we have no instructions from him,” Haynes said.
Without pre-empting their submission in September, Haynes noted that the court’s decision to proceed against Kony in absentia is a novel procedure under international law.
Kony remains at large. However, Atim, one of the Ugandan lawyers on the defence team, said that in the event he is arrested or surrenders to Ugandan authorities, Kony will be tried in Uganda by the International Crimes Division of the High Court, which she said has the jurisdiction to try the offences preferred against him.
Background
In January 2004, the Ugandan government wrote to the ICC requesting an investigation into the matter.
In 2005, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Kony after finding sufficient evidence against him.
In 2023, the ICC prosecutor filed an application for the confirmation of charges hearing to proceed in his absence.
The court subsequently granted the request, and the confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled for 9 September this year.