Part V – Domestic Procedures for Other Types of Co-operation

Facilitating Appearance of Witnesses

49. Request for voluntary appearance of witness.
(1) Where the ICC request assistance under articles 19(8), 56, 64, or 93(1)(e) of the Statute in facilitating the voluntary appearance of a witness before the ICC the Minister shall give authority for the request to proceed and transmit the request to the appropriate Ugandan agency if the Minister is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the witness is or may be in Uganda.

(2) In this section and in section 50 and 51 “witness” includes a person who may give expert evidence; but does not include –

(a) a person who has been accused of a crime in the proceedings to which the request relates; or

(b) a prisoner who is detained in relation to an offence against the law of Uganda.

50. Consent required.
The Ugandan agency to which a request is transmitted under section 49 shall make such inquiries as may be necessary to ascertain whether the prospective witness consents to giving evidence or assisting the ICC.

51. Minister may facilitate appearance.
(1)The Minister may assist in the making or arrangements to facilitate a witness’s attendance before the ICC if the Minister is satisfied that –

(a) the prospective witness has consented to giving the evidence or assistance requested; and

(b) the ICC has given any assurance requested by the Minister in respect of the witness including but not limited to an assurance that the witness will not be prosecuted or detained by the ICC in respect of any specified act or omission that occurred before the witness’s departure from Uganda.

(2) The Minister may –

(a) approve and make arrangements for the travel of the witness to the ICC at the cost of the ICC; including but not limited to, the obtaining of such approvals, authorities, and permissions as are required for that purpose, including, in the case of a person who although not liable to be detained in a prison is subject to a sentence –

(i) the variation, discharge, or suspension of the conditions of the person’s release from prison; or

(i) the variation, cancellation, or suspension of the person’s sentence, or of the condition of the person’s sentence; and

(b) take such other action for the purposes of subsection (1) as the Minister thinks appropriate.