Charles Adeogun-Phillips

 Charles Adeogun-Phillips is former lead International Prosecutor and Head of Special Investigations at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; former Special Prosecutor, Federal Republic of Nigeria; Partner at Charles Anthony (Lawyers) LLP in Lagos; and Barrister at Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers in London and The Hague.

For over 30 years, Charles has litigated cases before courts in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and at various international courts and tribunals and is able to offer his clients a rare and distinctive blend of both domestic and international experience.

He founded Charles Anthony LLP following a distinguished legal career as a pioneer lead International Prosecutor, Senior Counsel and Head of Special Investigations at the United Nations, spanning over 12 years. Between 1998 and 2010, he successfully led teams of international prosecutors in 12 precedent-setting genocide trials before the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, making him arguably one of the most experienced and successful genocide prosecutors in history.

His advisory practice in the area of international criminal and humanitarian law has included providing advice to the Nigerian Government in connection with the preliminary examinations launched by the ICC into alleged crimes against humanity or war crimes committed in the context of armed conflict between “Boko Haram” and the Nigerian security forces; and to the Military Defence Headquarters in Nigeria, following Amnesty International’s allegations of extra judicial killings of “Boko Haram” members by the Nigerian Armed Forces. He also advises various African governments on ICC related transitional justice issues. In 2013, Charles successfully represented Christopher Mtikila, the outspoken Tanzanian politician, in his precedent setting case against the Tanzanian Government, before the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, resulting in amendments to Tanzania’s electoral laws to allow for independent candidacy for election to public office.