September 25, 2023
KAMPALA, Uganda – In a startling development, Uganda has launched an investigation into allegations that a former senior official of the International Criminal Court (ICC) may have been involved in funding the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The country’s attorney general, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, announced the probe on Monday, emphasizing the seriousness of the claims and the potential for prosecution if they are found to be accurate.
The allegations have surfaced against Brigid Inder, a special adviser on gender to the former ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda. In a statement, Inder vehemently denied the accusations, describing them as “sensational and untrue.”
According to a press release issued by a lawyer representing former child soldiers of the LRA, “numerous victims have alleged that between 2006 and 2017, Ms. Brigid Inder… facilitated and financed Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda.”
Joseph Kony, infamous for launching a brutal rebellion over three decades ago with the aim of imposing his own version of the Ten Commandments in northern Uganda, inflicted terror across several countries and remains at large.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka stated, “We have received information about the alleged involvement of the named ICC official in funding the LRA activities, including money to buy weapons, and our relevant bodies are investigating the claims.”
He emphasized the gravity of the allegations, stating that if they are substantiated, the official will face prosecution to ensure justice for the victims. However, he did not provide further details regarding the ongoing investigation.
Brigid Inder, who formerly served as the executive director of the Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice (WIGJ) and played a role in peace talks between the LRA and Uganda’s government, released a statement on September 21 categorically refuting the allegations.
“I have never met Mr. Joseph Kony. I have never handed Mr. Kony envelopes full of money,” Inder declared. “I have never engaged in any activities that were intended to support the military aspirations and conflict-related activities of the LRA.”
She added that the allegations stem from a disgruntled employee who was dismissed from WIGJ for misconduct in 2014.
The LRA’s reign of terror resulted in the death of more than 100,000 people and the abduction of 60,000 children. The violence spread beyond Uganda’s borders, affecting Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic.
In 2005, the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for Joseph Kony on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
As the investigation unfolds, the world watches with anticipation, hoping for a resolution that will bring justice and closure to the victims of the LRA’s atrocities.
