Ongwen case: Summary of the Confirmation of Charges hearing, January 2016

“In the courtroom” programme: Summary of the Confirmation of charges hearing in the case of The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen
Situation: Uganda
Case: The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen
This issue of the “In the courtroom” programme contains a summary of the Confirmation of Charges hearing in the case against Dominic Ongwen, in English and French. During five days of hearings, all parties and participants - the Office of the Prosecutor, the Defence and the Legal representatives of victims - made presentations and presented evidence.
The hearing took place before Pre-Trial Chamber II, composed of Judges Cuno Tarfusser (Italy), Presiding, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (France) and Chang-ho Chung (Korea).
The confirmation of charges hearing is not a trial. It is a Pre-Trial hearing held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged. If charges are confirmed, the Pre-Trial Chamber commits the case for trial before a Trial Chamber, which conducts the subsequent phase of the proceedings: the trial.