Dominic Ongwen, the former rebel of Uganda’s Lords Resistance Army has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes including rape, sexual enslavement, child abduction and murder.

On Thursday, May 6 the Hague based court found Ongwen guilty of 61 crimes including crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Northern Uganda between July 2002 and December 2005.

While making its decision, the court stated that it analyzed the individual weight, implications and consequences of each of the 61 crimes for which Ongwen was convicted where it found several disturbing circumstances applicable to some or even all the crimes.

“Aggravating circumstances included particular cruelty, multiplicity of victims, the victims being particularly defenseless, and discrimination on political grounds and discrimination against women.” It said after the guilty verdict was delivered,” ICC stated after it found Ongwen guilty.

Judge Bertram Schmitt who was presiding over the case ruled that the period Ongwen has been in detention would be deducted from his total sentence.

The period of his detention between 4 January 2015 and 6 May 2021, will be deducted from the total time of imprisonment imposed on him.” the ICC stated after the rulling.

The court also stated that Ongwens defense team could appeal the sentence before the ICC Appeals Chamber.