A top Lord’s Resistance Army commander is now in custody at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Dominic Ongwen will undergo medical exams after being flown Tuesday from the Central African Republic (C.A.R.), and is expected to make his first court appearance soon.

His arrival at the court ends a nearly 10-year effort to have him face three counts of crimes against humanity and another four counts of war crimes.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Ongwen’s arrival in The Hague “marks an important milestone in accountability” and a step toward justice for those victimized by the LRA.

The group is accused of killing and kidnapping tens of thousands of people during the past three decades, first in an uprising against the Ugandan government, then as a roving band of fighters in Congo, South Sudan and the C.A.R.

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said Ongwen’s transfer to the court sends a “firm and unequivocal message” that perpetrators of the most serious crimes will face justice no matter how long it takes.

The court has charged four other ICC leaders with war crimes and crimes against humanity, including Joseph Kony.
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