The International Criminal Court has hired a British National to represent Joseph Kony, Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader.
Kony faces up to 36 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the 20-year insurgency in Northern Uganda.
British lawyer Peter Haynes will represent Joseph Kony during the confirmation of charges proceedings at the Hague Court in October. This follows a request by the prosecutor in November last year to hold a hearing on the alleged charges in Kony’s absence.
The elusive rebel leader is indicted for murder, cruel treatment, enslavement, rape, and attacking civilian populations in Northern Uganda. About 100 000 people died in the conflict and more than 1.5 million were displaced.
The investigations into the alleged crimes by the LRA leader were opened in 2004 and a warrant of arrest into the case was issued in 2005.
The original charges against Joseph Kony included his commanders Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo, and Vincent Otti; however, because of their deaths, the case against them was dropped. Reporting by Michael Baleke.
ICC | Uganda’s Joseph Kony faces up to 36 criminal counts:
