The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that it will proceed with a hearing to confirm charges against Joseph Kony, the fugitive Ugandan warlord, in his absence. A date for the hearing will be set at a later stage.
Joseph Kony, the 63-year-old leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), has evaded capture since 2005, facing accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Over three decades, Kony’s LRA inflicted terror across Uganda, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, with violence leading to over 100,000 deaths and the abduction of 60,000 children, who were forced into roles as sex slaves, soldiers, and porters.
The ICC had initially scheduled October hearings to confirm 36 counts against Kony. The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber has now confirmed that all conditions have been met to proceed in absentia. Although charges can be confirmed without the suspect, Joseph Kony’s physical presence is required for the case to advance to trial.
