Resources
Sunday, June 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 ICC Cases Africa Cases

Ugandan courts cannot be trusted, witness tells ICC judges

Journalists For JusticebyJournalists For Justice
March 9, 2018
in Africa Cases, ICC Cases
Reading Time: 8 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

 By Susan Kendi

On Monday afternoon, January 22, 2018, after the prosecution wound up  questioning Witness P-200, one of Dominic Ongwen’s began to cross examine him.

The witness told the three judges in Ongwen’s trial that he was unwilling to share information about his abduction with any other organ apart from the ICC since he did not trust  the courts in Uganda since they are corrupt and justice does not always prevail.

Witness P-200 also added that he did not share information with any other organ because of fears for his safety as he did not want to be exposed after what happened to him while in the bush.

Here are excerpts of the cross-examination of Witness P-200 by Abigail Bridgman:

RelatedStories

Gicheru witness tampering trial starts before the ICC

Trial Chamber VI to hear Said Abdel Kani case

Court turns down bid to introduce elusive witness’s testimony, but allows four other statements

Bridgman: Since you returned home you have been a leader in your community. Is that true?

Witness: At the moment, yes.

Bridgman: You have received training in human rights, is that true?

Witness: I forgot.

Bridgman: Do you recall receiving training on human rights in 2008 from Uganda Human Rights Commission?

Witness: I forgot. I respond to what I remember now.

Bridgman: (Referencing a document) Do you recognise that document? Does it refresh your mind on the training that you received?

Witness: Yes, I attended.

Bridgman: So you don’t remember what you learnt in the training or?

Witness: Yes, I don’t remember

Bridgman: Do you remember anyone you attended the meeting with?

Witness: What I would say, it is that it was district leadership since by then I was a local council [member].

Bridgman: So you attended this training in your official capacity as a leader?

Witness: Yes, that is what I remember now.

Bridgman: Do you remember being told about the people indicted by the ICC?

Witness: In fact, I have forgotten.

Bridgman: When you attended that training, was that the first time you heard about the ICC?

Witness: Yes.

Bridgman: Apart from that training, is there any other workshop or outreach program that you have attended regarding the ICC?

Witness: It is when I met the investigators in Kampala.

Bridgman: (Referencing to the prosecutor’s binder-interview) The investigators asked you about your understanding of the ICC, and you said that you were willing to share your information and “that is why I am open to give my view to ICC if it is another organ I would not give any information.” Tell us why you were willing to share your information with ICC and not with another organ?

Witness: First, I do not have trust in our courts in my country. Two, insecurity: since what happened to myself was enough, so I did not want any exposure.

Bridgman: Regarding the trust in the courts in Uganda, do you have an experience?

Witness: In my opinion, not actual experience, but what I hear on the radio and [read in the] papers is that there is a bit corruption in our country and justice does not prevail properly in form of a fair hearing.

Bridgman: Did you receive training on national level in Chakwanzi?

Witness: Yes.

Bridgman: Did the ICC take part in your training?

Witness: Not actually since in Chakwanzi, we were taken as political leaders for about one month then taken back to our counties.

Bridgman: This morning you talked about your escape, how you were taken to different hospitals until Mulago when you were discharged and spent your time with family. Do you remember how long you were at Mulago Hospital?

Witness: I do not remember the period I was in Mulago, since I was still traumatized but I was in Mulago Hospital.

Bridgman: After your discharge from the hospital did you ever attend a rehabilitation programme?

Witness: Can you help me, put it simpler?

Bridgman: You mentioned going to World Vision. Did you know what the World Vision did to people who were abducted?

Witness: Yes.

Bridgman: I am speaking about such a programme.

Witness: Yes.

Bridgman: Was that done at World Vision or at another place?

Witness: Before I went to Mulago, we were at World Vision but when I came back, FIDA (International Federation of Women Lawyers) did that part.

Bridgman: Were you at home or some form of boarding school?

Witness: It was at home not a boarding school because I was home (laughs) .You operate from home. They organize a particular place.

Bridgman: Share with us the kind of assistance FIDA gave you whenever you went?

Witness: First they helped us with counselling and ways of uniting with the communities since when we came back they called us “rebels of Kony”, “rebels of LRA.” When they came with their counsellors they taught us ethics of living with community and how to involve them. If they (FIDA) choose a topic like agriculture they would give you seeds, plots.

Bridgman: (Showing the witness a document)Where did you receive this document, Mr Witness?

Witness: I received it from Soroti when they trained us on trauma.

Bridgman: Was this part of the FIDA program or another program?

Witness: This was under Pilgrim.

Bridgman: So this is another different program you attended on trauma and counselling?

Witness: Yes.

Bridgman: Is it true that you have been involved in welcoming other abductees back home?

Witness: Yes. These small ones knew me so it was easier to cope with me.

Bridgman: Going back to the trust in Uganda courts, is it true that you have had some criminal legal trouble in the past four years?

Witness: Repeat. I don’t understand.

Bridgman: Your Honour, I am thinking about going into private session because I don’t know how to formulate this.

Presiding Judge Bertram Schmitt: I think that we should go into private session.(The court resumes session with Abigail Bridgman questioning the witness)

Bridgman: Before your abduction, did you ever hear rumours about the LRA attack?

Witness: No.

Bridgman: Did you ever hear about a letter from Tabuley telling civilians that he is going to attack?

Witness: No, I don’t remember it has taken years.

The witness continued testifying on Tuesday, January 23, 2017.

Previous Post

Witness recalls stigma suffered by returning LRA fighters

Next Post

ICC Witness: The Sudanese Government provided the LRA with weapons

Journalists For Justice

Journalists For Justice

Related Posts

Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru at the opening of his trial at the International Criminal Court on February 15, 2022. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Gicheru witness tampering trial starts before the ICC

February 16, 2022
Mr Said during the opening of the confirmation of charges hearing at the seat of the Court in The Hague (The Netherlands) on 12 October 2021 ©ICC-CPI

Trial Chamber VI to hear Said Abdel Kani case

December 20, 2021
Paul Gicheru appearing before the ICC via video-link from the ICC Detention Centre on 6 November 2020. Photo credit: ICC-CPI

Court turns down bid to introduce elusive witness’s testimony, but allows four other statements

December 17, 2021
Special Criminal Court Arrests CAR Minister Bouba for War Crimes. Photo: News Central TV

Pressure mounts for CAR minister to face justice

December 2, 2021
ICC Trial Chamber VIII declares Mr Al Mahdi guilty of the war crime of attacking historic and religious buildings in Timbuktu and sentences him to nine years' imprisonment. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI

Al Mahdi to be released early after ICC cuts sentence by two years

December 1, 2021
Dominic Ongwen's appeal hearing coming up in February 2022. Photo credit: @ICC-CPI.

Ongwen’s appeal hearing to start in February 2022

November 26, 2021
Next Post

ICC Witness: The Sudanese Government provided the LRA with weapons

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

  • From Kyiv to Kabul and Darfur: Challenges of reporting justice and human rights
  • Gicheru to attend court session remotely
  • After euphoria of state white paper, victims now demand action on Jammeh
  • Right the Wrongs: Spotlight on the 2020 General Election in Tanzania
  • Selective approach to TRRC recommendations a sure recipe for defeating justice

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