Legislators from Amuru District have revealed plans to visit the indicted senior commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA, Mr Dominic Ongwen at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facilities in The Netherlands.
The visit comes following a request made to the ICC by Mr Ogwen’s family members who earlier demanded that he first undergoes a traditional ritual before he can be flown to The Hague to face trail.
Mr Ongwen who was abducted at the age of 10 is from Kaladima, Lamogi Sub County in Amuru district.
The Kilak County MP Gilbert Olanya on Thursday said that he will travel to the Hague with his fellow lawmaker, Ms Lucy Akello, the District Woman MP.
MP Olanya adds that they will be accompanied by one of the relatives of Mr Ongwen whom he declined to name.
He says they expect to travel to Europe either in late June or early July to offer moral and spiritual support to Mr Ongwen.
Ms Maria Kamara Mabinty, the ICC Field Outreach Coordinator for Uganda and Kenya says among other individuals who are free to visit Mr Ongwen at the ICC are religious and cultural leaders, his family members, politicians and Ugandan dignitaries among others.
Mabinty also adds that, “Family members will have time talk to him on phone.”
But she noted that the world’s court will not be responsible for financing any kind of travels apart from those of the witnesses.
Mr Ongwen, a feared top commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), is the first member of the Joseph Kony’s LRA to appear before the ICC.
During the pre-trial hearing in January this year, he was asked to confirm his identity.
He faces a total of seven counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder and enslavement.
The charges all relate to an attack on Lukodi internally displaced persons’ camp in Gulu in 2004.
Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova set the date for his next appearance as 24 August, when hearing will determine if he should face trial.
The LRA is accused of seizing children to use as fighters and sex slaves.
