Victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency have called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek “divine intervention” in the long-delayed arrest of fugitive rebel commander Joseph Kony, arguing that spiritual forces may be needed to weaken what they described as his perceived “magical powers.”
The appeal was made during a stakeholders’ dialogue convened in Lira City by the Hague-based court on Tuesday, where victims voiced growing anger and disappointment over nearly two decades of stalled efforts to apprehend the LRA leader.
Kony has evaded capture since 2005 despite facing 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for attacks committed between July 2002 and December 2005 in northern Uganda.
“For me, I think since the ICC does not have its own armed force, let the court now present a petition to God to intervene so that Kony is finally arrested,” said Semmy Adong, who was abducted at age nine during the February 21, 2004 LRA raid on Barlony IDP camp. Adong, who returned from captivity in 2024 with two children, said victims have waited too long for justice.
Civil society representative Jane Ekayo echoed this sentiment, saying communities in northern Uganda continue to suffer from the lingering trauma of mass abductions, violence, and the absence of accountability.
“Victims’ frustration has boiled over. There are spiritual dimensions to this conflict. If evil forces are influencing this man, then spiritual matters must be addressed spiritually. Uganda has many great prophets—we can engage them in prayer,” she said
Responding to the concerns, Leonie Von Braun, a Senior Trial Lawyer in the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, acknowledged the pain and impatience expressed by survivors, but stressed that operational secrecy is essential for the safety of those supporting efforts to locate Kony.
“Anything said in detail could compromise the work we are doing with partners who face real risks. It is not about withholding information—there are reasons we cannot share sensitive details,” she said.
Von Braun confirmed the Court’s assessment that Kony remains alive.
“All our information indicates that yes, he is alive. He is a man—an ordinary human being—but one who has committed and inspired significant violence. While his influence has weakened since leaving Uganda, he continues harmful activities wherever he is,” he said.
The ICC Prosecutor’s Office recently welcomed the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber III, which confirmed all 39 charges against Kony in absentia. The charges relate to attacks on internally displaced persons camps, the raid on Lwala Girls Secondary School, and widespread abductions and abuse of children and women.
The case now advances to a trial chamber, clearing the way for proceedings to begin immediately once Kony is apprehended.
Victims and civil society representatives say they remain hopeful—but increasingly determined—that justice must be delivered, whether through international action, spiritual intervention, or both.