The ICC’s confirmation of charges against Kony represents a renewed step toward justice for victims of one of Africa’s longest and most devastating conflicts.
By Willy Chowoo
Gulu | November 6, 2025
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed all 39 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Joseph Kony, the elusive leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), committing him to stand trial once he is apprehended.
The decision, delivered on 6 November 2025 by Pre-Trial Chamber III of the ICC, follows hearings held in Kony’s absence at The Hague in September this year. The court reaffirmed that under the Rome Statute, trials cannot proceed without the accused being physically present.
The three-judge panel, Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor (presiding), Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, and Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh, found “substantial grounds to believe” that Kony bears responsibility for atrocities committed between July 2002 and December 2005 in northern Uganda.
According to the ruling, Kony and his forces waged a protracted internal armed conflict against the Ugandan government’s army, the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), and local defense units in the Acholi, Lango, and Teso regions. During this period, the LRA allegedly conducted widespread and systematic attacks on civilians accused of supporting the government, abducting thousands of children and women who were then subjected to forced recruitment, sexual slavery, and other inhumane acts.
The Chamber confirmed that Kony faces:
The Court dismissed a defense request to suspend the proceedings, ruling that appeals will only be considered once Kony is in custody and formally notified of the decision.
Joseph Kony, who remains at large, founded the LRA in the late 1980s and led a brutal campaign across northern Uganda and neighboring countries. His forces abducted tens of thousands of children, forcing boys to become fighters and girls into sexual slavery—crimes that left deep scars on communities across the region.
The LRA and Its Legacy in Northern Uganda
The Lord’s Resistance Army emerged in northern Uganda in the late 1980s under Joseph Kony’s leadership, claiming to fight for the Ten Commandments and to defend the Acholi people against government oppression. However, the movement quickly turned into one of the most feared rebel groups in Africa, notorious for its brutality against civilians rather than its battles against government forces.
At the height of the insurgency, more than 1.8 million people were displaced into internally displaced persons’ camps, and entire villages were razed. Children were abducted from schools and homes, while others were forced to kill relatives as a test of loyalty to the LRA.
Kony’s rebellion also spread beyond Uganda’s borders into South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic, destabilizing the region for over two decades.
Despite several peace efforts, including the Juba peace talks (2006–2008), Kony refused to sign a final agreement that would have ended the war and possibly paved the way for his surrender to the ICC. He has remained in hiding since, with sporadic reports of sightings in remote border areas.
The ICC first issued arrest warrants for Kony and four of his top commanders in 2005—its first ever case. Of the five, only Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier turned commander, has been tried and convicted by the ICC. Ongwen was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2021 for similar crimes.
A Renewed Step Toward Justice
The ICC’s confirmation of charges against Kony represents a renewed step toward justice for victims of one of Africa’s longest and most devastating conflicts.
While Kony’s arrest remains elusive, the decision reaffirms the international community’s commitment to holding those responsible for mass atrocities accountable—no matter how long it takes.
