AG calls for boost to national justice systems instead of running to “colonial’ Hague

The Attorney General (AG) has emphasised the need for all nations signatory to the international crimes court to develop enough capacity to handle all their matters of international nature instead of resorting to the Hague based court.

After noting that the court is almost an extension of colonialism added that African countries should boost their own capacities to handle all nature of crime and only use the ICC as a default court.

In the face of rising international crimes such as terrorism and cybercrime, there is a call for national courts developing their own capacity to handle the same.

The Attorney General William Byaruhanga while officiating at a regional meeting to tackle international crime emphasized the fact that not all crimes should be tried at the international crimes court but only use its mechanism to handle trials at national level.

“Generally it’s agreed that crime must be tried in the place where its committed in as much as possible. So the ICC only provides a default mechanism where a nation is unable or unwilling”

He noted that having the International Crimes Court try every international crime only extends the spirit of colonialism especially after the court has been critiqued for being partial when it comes to African leaders.

Byaruhanga added that every time he is at The Hague there is discussion on whether the ICC is fair to African leaders adding, “There is always criticism on whether European perpetrators of crime get same treatment before the court as African leaders.”

This was during a regional meeting of members of judiciary, officials of justice ministries, attorney general departments and prosecutors to deliberate on having special courts handle international crime. The meeting was under the theme “Creating political will in the pursuit of international justice, the victim in focus.”

The call comes at a time when one of Uganda’s own former LRA commander Dominic Ongwen is facing trial over 70 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity over activities of the lord’s resistance army that were committed in northern Uganda. There is also an arrested warrant against war lord Joseph Kony over the same.