Dominic Ongwen’s trial opens today at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Seven screening centres, most of them in northern Uganda, have been set up for the public watch the trial on TV.
NTV and NBS TV will beam the trial for the Uganda audience. Additionally, Mega FM and Gulu FM will also broadcast the show for the local audience in northern Uganda. The broadcasts on the radio will start at 11:30 am for the two days of the beginning of the trial.
The screening sites for the beginning of the Ongewn trial are at Gulu Secondary School in Gulu town, at Lukodi primary school in Lukodi in Aswa County in Gulu district, about 16 kms out of Gulu town, Abok sub county hall in Abok Sub County in Oyam district, Coorom Primary school Amuru districts. Coorom is the village where Ongwen comes from. The trial will also be screened at Bamboo hall in Pajule, in Pader district.
In Kampala, the trial will be screened at Hotel Africana.
The ICC’s Field Outreach Coordinator for Kenya and Uganda, Maria Kamara Mabinty says the sites will provide access of proceedings to the affected communities, victims and the public in Uganda.
The Registrar of the ICC, Herman Von Hebel is currently on a visit in Uganda. Today he is in Gulu where he expected to visit the former Lukodi, one of the sites where Ongwen is alleged to have committed atrocities.
Ongwen, 41, is the former commander of the Sinia brigade. He is facing 70 counts of war crimes against humanity he allegedly committed in Pajule IDP camp in October 2003, Lukodi IDP camp on May 2004, Odek IDP camp on April 2004 and Abok IDP camp in June 2004.
Other charges also includes sexual and gender based crimes.
Ongwen will appear before chamber IX of the ICC which comprises of three trial judges.
