The Pre-Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced September, 9, 2025 as the date for commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing in the case against Lord’s Resistance Army leader, Joseph Kony.
In October, ICC ruled that all the requirements to hold a confirmation of charges hearing in the absence of the suspect Joseph Kony are now met.
In a statement on Thursday, ICC said the September, 9, 2025 date had been set in light of the court’s duty to ensure that sufficient time is provided to the prosecution, to properly implement the instructions given in separate decisions regarding the disclosure of evidence and the resubmission of the document containing the charges but also to the defence, to adequately prepare for the confirmation of charges hearing.
Practical information, in particular on how to attend or watch the hearing, will be provided closer to the date.
“The chamber also directed the registry to complete notification and outreach activities in respect of the new date for the confirmation of charges hearing within 30 days starting from 6 January 2025, and to report on it to the Chamber no later than 14 February 2025,” ICC said in the statement.
The Rome Statute allows for the confirmation of charges proceedings at the Pre-Trial stage in the absence of the suspect, under specific conditions.
Having been defeated in Uganda, Joseph Kony and remnants of his lord’s Resistance Army rebels fled to Central African Republic .
Kony’s group has remained in this region and has survived by growing crops, hunting bushmeat, and collecting honey while periodically bartering with local traders
Having been weakened, Kony went into almost a lull with limited activity.
In 2021, the U.S. government announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Joseph Kony.
A warrant of arrest was issued against Joseph Kony in 2005 and it referred to 33 charges that he committed in Northern Uganda.
The ICC in 2022 sentenced former LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen to 25 years imprisonment over crimes committed during the war in Northern Uganda.
He became the first LRA commander to be arraigned before ICC .
Kony has been elusive since an arrest warrant was issued against him.
To this, ICC decided to hear the confirmation of charges against Kony even in his absence but the trail cant take place without his presence.
