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Uganda LRA rebel leader accused of ordering cannibalism | Uganda LRA rebel leader accused of ordering cannibalism |
(about 4 hours later) | |
International prosecutors at The Hague have accused former Ugandan rebel Dominic Ongwen of ordering his men to kill, cook and eat civilians. | International prosecutors at The Hague have accused former Ugandan rebel Dominic Ongwen of ordering his men to kill, cook and eat civilians. |
He is the first member of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to appear before the International Criminal Court. | He is the first member of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to appear before the International Criminal Court. |
Mr Ongwen has been accused of 70 war crimes and crimes against humanity. | Mr Ongwen has been accused of 70 war crimes and crimes against humanity. |
His defence is likely to use his past as a former child soldier and kidnap victim as part of a plea for leniency. | His defence is likely to use his past as a former child soldier and kidnap victim as part of a plea for leniency. |
Prosecutors used Thursday's confirmation-of-charges hearing to try to convince judges there is enough evidence for Mr Ongwen to stand trial. | Prosecutors used Thursday's confirmation-of-charges hearing to try to convince judges there is enough evidence for Mr Ongwen to stand trial. |
They said Mr Ongwen had used schoolgirls as sex slaves, conscripted child soldiers and, in at least one instance, ordered his men to kill, cook and eat civilians. | They said Mr Ongwen had used schoolgirls as sex slaves, conscripted child soldiers and, in at least one instance, ordered his men to kill, cook and eat civilians. |
Images shown in the session included a video of shallow graves in the aftermath of an attack. | Images shown in the session included a video of shallow graves in the aftermath of an attack. |
The hearings were broadcast in the northern Ugandan town of Lukodi, one of the places where Mr Ongwen is accused of carrying out atrocities. | |
The BBC's Catherine Byaruhanga says lots of people went to watch. | |
The prosecution is focusing on attacks on four displaced camps housing civilians driven out by the LRA's violence. | The prosecution is focusing on attacks on four displaced camps housing civilians driven out by the LRA's violence. |
Mr Ongwen, born in 1975, surrendered in January 2015. He was abducted by the LRA when he was 10 years old and rose to become one of its commanders. | Mr Ongwen, born in 1975, surrendered in January 2015. He was abducted by the LRA when he was 10 years old and rose to become one of its commanders. |
His lawyers are likely to argue he had a traumatised youth as part of a plea for leniency, the BBC's Anna Holligan at the Hague says. | His lawyers are likely to argue he had a traumatised youth as part of a plea for leniency, the BBC's Anna Holligan at the Hague says. |
Dressed in a grey suit, lilac shirt and grey tie, Mr Ongwen rose to say that reading out the charges was a "waste of time". | Dressed in a grey suit, lilac shirt and grey tie, Mr Ongwen rose to say that reading out the charges was a "waste of time". |
He is believed to have been a deputy of LRA commander Joseph Kony, who is still on the run. | He is believed to have been a deputy of LRA commander Joseph Kony, who is still on the run. |
Over the next five days, the defence and prosecution will have a chance to outline their arguments. | Over the next five days, the defence and prosecution will have a chance to outline their arguments. |
The judges will then have 60 days to decide whether there is enough evidence to put him on trial. | The judges will then have 60 days to decide whether there is enough evidence to put him on trial. |
Who is Dominic Ongwen? | Who is Dominic Ongwen? |
Dominic Ongwen - full profile | Dominic Ongwen - full profile |
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