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Ugandan rebel appearing before judges at pretrial hearing

by PH January 21, 2016, 2:48 pm

Dominic Ongwen, a senior commander in the Lord's Resistance Army, whose fugitive leader Kony is one of the world's most-wanted war crimes suspects, rises in the court room of the International Court in The Hague, January 21, 2016. (Michael Kooren, AP)

The Hague – A commander in fugitive warlord Joseph Kony’s brutal Ugandan rebel militia is facing a crucial hearing at the International Criminal Court to assess whether evidence against him is strong enough to merit making him stand trial.

Prosecutors allege that Dominic Ongwen is a senior commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army, whose leader Kony is one of the world’s most-wanted war crimes suspects.

Ongwen faces 70 charges including murder, rape, torture, forced marriage and using child soldiers stemming from his alleged involvement in attacks on refugee camps in Uganda in 2003 and 2004.

Ongwen does not have to enter pleas to any of the charges until the start of his trial – if the court decides to schedule a trial after assessing evidence presented in the hearing that is starting on Thursday.