Resources
Thursday, May 26, 2022
  • Login
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result

Browse by Topic:

  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result
Home The ICC

Ongwen still my boss, my friend and my brother a witness tells court

Journalists For JusticebyJournalists For Justice
May 11, 2017
in The ICC
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Susan Kendi

A witness at the ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity at The Hague shocked the International Criminal Court when he admitted that if he met former LRA commander Dominic Ongwen, he would still regard him as his boss, his friend and his brother.

Witness P-0142 said it was not within his power to claim whether Ongwen was a good or a bad person.

Defence lawyer Thomas Obhof had revisited a question prosecution counsel Adesola Adeboyejo had asked the witness and elicited a response that referred to Ongwen as his brother.

 “(Ongwen was) a people person. He would talk to people and stay among them. He shared laughter and jokes,” the witness said under cross-examination.

RelatedStories

Said Abdel Kani to remain in custody as Appeals Chamber rejects his plea for release

Parties prepare to wind up Gicheru case

Gicheru asks ICC judge to admit new evidence

He cared about people, especially when he was still a low-ranking soldier,” Witness P-0142 told judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on May 9, 2017 in response to questions by lead defence lawyer Krispus Ayena Odongo.

Witness P-0142 extensively described Ongwen’s personality to Judge Bertram Schmitt (presiding), Judge Peter Kovacs and Judge Raul Pangalangan, saying that when he rose up the ranks of the Lord Resistance Army (LRA), there was some change in his character since he had several responsibilities.

The gap between Ongwen and his fighters was conspicuous and he would not even get close to Ongwen, but that he retained his “goodness.”

Witness P-0142 is testifying under protective court measures, which include voice distortion, face image pixilation and being referred by a pseudonym. He has additionally been assigned a lawyer, Julius Von Bone, to guide him during his testimony especially when testifying on sensitive matters that might cause him to incriminate himself.

Mr Obhof questioned the witness on the ranks of four former LRA fighters — Kenneth Bania, Sam Kolo, Onen Kabule and Odongo Acellam on whether they were prosecuted or free.

Kenneth Bania held a more senior rank in the LRA than Ongwen; Sam Kolo was also in a senior position and worked with the LRA supreme leader, Joseph Kony, while Onen Kabule, commonly referred to as Onen Kamdulu, held the same rank as Ongwen but Odongo Acellam was higher in the hierarchy since he was Kony’s aide-de-camp.

Regarding Kenneth Bania and Sam Kolo, the witness told the court, “…The way I see they are free. They are free to move around and do anything.”

Witness P-0142 said Odongo Acellam was living freely in Uganda and had not been prosecuted for any atrocities he committed while in the bush but said he he had heard on the radio that Onen Kabule was accused of committing atrocities after pulling out of the LRA though the witness was not sure whether or not he was still in prison.

Mr Odongo revisited the relationship between Ongwen and the LRA boss Joseph Kony and his Deputy Commander Vincent Otti, who is deceased.

According to the Former Intelligence Officer, the relationship that Dominic Ongwen and Joseph Kony had was ineffable. Witness P-0142, a former LRA intelligence officer, said that Ongwen frequently found himself in trouble with Kony and was at times jailed. Ongwen did not have any problems with Vincent Otti when the witness was still in the LRA.

Otti’s death had been known for a while but remained a rumour until Witness P-0205 testified on March 8, 2017 how LRA fighters Vincent Otti, Otti Lagony and Okello were shot dead for attempting to escape from the bush.

Witness P-0142 completed his testimony on Tuesday May 9, 2017 as the hearing took a break and resumes on May 29, 2017.  Witness P-0314 will begin testifying before the same judges.

Previous Post

India asks World Court in The Hague to prevent execution in Pakistan

Next Post

How LRA fighters lived with and fought alongside South Sudanese soldiers

Journalists For Justice

Journalists For Justice

Related Posts

Former Central African Republic rebel leader Mahamat Said Abdel Kani at the opening of his confirmation of charges hearing at the International Criminal Court in October 2021. Photo credit: @nICC-CPI

Said Abdel Kani to remain in custody as Appeals Chamber rejects his plea for release

May 25, 2022
Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru and his lawyer. Michael G. Karnavas, during the hearing of his case at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Parties prepare to wind up Gicheru case

May 20, 2022
Michael G. Karnavas, the lead counsel of Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru, during the opening of his trial at the International Criminal Court. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Gicheru asks ICC judge to admit new evidence

May 3, 2022
Cyril Laucci, the lead counsel of former Janjaweed commander Ali-Abd-Al-Rahman, during the opening of his trial at the International Criminal Court. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Abd-Al-Rahman paid Janjaweed, witness tells judges

April 27, 2022
Judge Miatta Maria Samba of the International Criminal Court’s Trial Chamber III during the opening of the case of the Prosecutor v Paul Gicheru on February 15, 2022. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Gicheru opposes prosecution bid to introduce ‘fresh’ evidence

April 15, 2022
Former Central African Republic rebel leader Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka arrives at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on March 22, 2022 for his first appearance. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Khan wants Mokom to have access to Yekatom-Ngaïssona trial materials

April 13, 2022
Next Post

How LRA fighters lived with and fought alongside South Sudanese soldiers

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Said Abdel Kani to remain in custody as Appeals Chamber rejects his plea for release
  • Are we ready? CSOs audit Kenya’s election preparedness
  • Parties prepare to wind up Gicheru case
  • Hope at last for Kenyan victims, but is TFV’s planned support enough?
  • Gicheru asks ICC judge to admit new evidence

Recent Comments

  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Kenyan lawyer denies bribery charges at the ICC
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on You did me wrong, Bemba tells ICC as he demands 70 million euros
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Two victims’ lawyers in Kenyatta case in line to become next ICC prosecutor
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Profiles of the four people shortlisted for the job of ICC Prosecutor
  • Write My Essay on Afghanistan case fails to take off at the ICC — pragmatism’ or surrender to the powerful?

Archives

Categories

JFJ – Journalists for Justice

We call out impunity wherever it occurs; we advocate justice for all victims of atrocity crimes; and we work with people of goodwill everywhere who share our values.

Browse by Topics:

Archives by Month:

Never Again
INTAHE
BarometreVerite
The Victims' Bantaba
No Result
View All Result
  • Confronting Impunity
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Login

Copyright © 2019. Journalists for Justice has asserted its right to be recognized as creators and owners of the content here. Reproduction in part or in whole is permitted on condition that JFJ is acknowledged and notified.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz