Lord's Resistance Army Commander Dominic Ongwen from Northern Uganda has become the first person from the terrorist group to appear before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
He gave himself up to authorities in the Central African Republic at the beginning of January.
Originally thought to be 35, Ongwen says he is actually 40 and that he joined the LRA in 1998 at the age of 14 against his will.
Our correspondent Jack Parrock is at the ICC in the Netherlands.
IN: "Appearing..."
OUT: SOC
DUR: 2 mins 9 secs
REPORTER VO:
Appearing clean shaven and in a smart, pressed suit to confirm his name and identity - Ugandan LRA commander Dominic Ongwen.
[Upsound of Ongwen speaking in Achorli from inside the courtroom}
One of 5 Lords Resistance army commanders - the first to be indicted by the ICC on its formation in 2005- the other four remain at large in Africa. Fatuo Bensouda is the ICC Prosecutor
BITE: Fatuo Bensouda - ICC Prosecutor
"The LRA under Joseph Kony and his high command - that includes Ongwen - have terrorized the people of Northern Uganda and neighboring countries. [cut point] The LRA has reportedly killed tens of thousands and displayed millions of people. They have terrorized civilian, abducted children and forced them to kill and serve as sex slaves. They have hacked off limbs and horribly disfigured men, women and children."
REPORTER VO:
There will now be decisions made about the information to be shared between the prosecution, the victims parties and the defense.
Ongwen was himself abducted by the Lords Resistance Army as a child and rose quickly through the ranks.
International justice experts like Niccolo Figa-Talamanca from No Peace Without Justice say it makes this case different to others before.
BITE: Niccolo Figa-Talamanca - No Peace Without Justice
"This is very much the first time that the ICC has had to deal with somebody who used to be a child soldier and this is why his defence is likely to argue strenuously that he is not responsible even though he was charged with crimes that were committed once he was an adult."
REPORTER VO:
The court says although Ongwen facing trial is an important step, it will continue to concentrate efforts to capture the other LRA commanders in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the atrocities committed across Central Africa over the last 28 years.
REPORTER ON SCREEN:
Dominic Ongwen will now be held in custody here in The Hague throughout a series of pre trial hearings with a confirmation of charges provisionally set for the 24th of August - the process through to trial will take a number of years.
Jack Parrock, at the ICC in The Hague