ICC PROSECUTOR SEEKS CHARGES AGAINST UGANDAN WARLORD JOSEPH KONY

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said Thursday he will ask judges to confirm charges against Joseph Kony, the fugitive Ugandan leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, LRA, despite him remaining at large.

Kony launched a bloody rebellion more than three decades ago seeking to impose his own version of the Ten Commandments in northern Uganda, and the LRA has since sown terror in four African countries.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Kony in 2005 on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and former US president Barack Obama in 2011 launched a small number of US troops to help regional armies try to capture him.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement that Kony has sought to evade judicial proceedings at this court for more than 17 years despite continuing efforts.

Khan said he had asked judges for authorisation to hold a hearing to confirm the charges against the warlord in his absence.