ICC says ended 'confirmation of charge hearing' against fugitive rebel leader Kony

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GULU CITY - The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have ended “confirmation of charge hearing” against fugitive warlord Joseph Kony.

The development marked the end of the first part of the journey of seeking the trial of Lord's Resistance Army rebel leader Kony, accused of masterminding the insurgency in northern Uganda between 2002-2005.

The ICC Prosecutors made the confirmation on November 26, 2025, in a media briefing at Churchill Courts Hotel in Gulu City.

Senior trial lawyer Leon Von Braun told journalists that closing the confirmation of charges hearing in the absence of Kony marks the beginning of a new phase that now transcends into the trial.

Von Braun, however, stated that the trial of Kony in court shall only depend on two options: Arrests and surrendering of the suspect (Kony), who is still at large, because the Rome Statute, which is their basis for the trial, does not conduct a trial of a suspect in absentia.

She, however, stated that, whereas it is so, all the 39 charges against Kony were confirmed by the Pre-trial chamber on November 6, 2025, awaiting his apprehension or surrender for trial, where Kony shall be given a proven counsel/Lawyer to represent him.

Von Braun also noted that the time frame for the arrest of Kony cannot be determined within the shortest time possible because they do not have any force or military to help them in executing that task.

Dahirou Sant-Anna, the International Cooperation Advisor in the Office of the Prosecutor, while hinting at what shall come afterwards, said the purpose of conducting a confirmation of charges hearing was to give them solid grounds (evidence) that would give them a go-ahead to trial, which has so far turned successful in the preliminary stage.

Danirou also noted that in the event that Kony passes on (God forbid), the trial shall never proceed and the case dies prematurely; and that would also mean that the victims of his crime shall not get reparations.

The questions of reparations

On the question of reparations for the victims of Kony’s atrocities, Dahirou, however, revealed that the reparations are not yet possible because the trial of the suspect has happened and reparations will be based on his trial, conviction and sentencing.

Dahirou explained that it is on the basis of the trial of Kony that will allow the court (judge) to determine the mode of reparation that will best suit the victims.

Kony's versus Ongwen's reparation cases

Maria Mabinty Kamara, the public information and outreach co-ordinator under Registry, clarified the difference between Kony’s Reparation mode, which is non-functional apparently and Dominic Ongwen’s reparation, which process is in progress.

Mabinty stated categorically that Ongwen’s reparation category is offered to families whose children were victims of the use of children under 15 years, which per se is referred to as “punchy assistance”, not reparation to be specific; while Kony’s reparation is a Court-Ordered Reparation that is ruled/ordered by the court upon successful completion of trials.

She, however, noted that they have been engaging the Government of Uganda, through the justice ministry, on seeking ways of getting involved in the reparation for Ongwen’s victims.

Is Kony alive?  

On whether the court is aware of whether Kony is alive, Von Braun said ICC has intelligence showing that Kony is not dead.

They, however, did not point out his whereabouts.