On December 18, 2023, the International Crimes Division of the High Court is set to announce its decision on the case involving Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), who is accused of crimes against humanity.
A panel consisting of Judges Michael Elubu, Duncan Gaswaga, Stephen Mubiru, and Dr. Andrew Bashaija will determine whether Kwoyelo has a case to answer. Following the ruling, the court will provide guidance on the subsequent steps in the legal proceedings.
Kwoyelo, arrested by the Ugandan Army in the Democratic Republic of Congo in March 2008, faces a total of 93 charges, including war crimes and crimes against humanity such as sexual violence, murder, kidnapping, robbery, and pillaging. He has consistently denied these charges.
The prosecution contends that Kwoyelo committed these offenses between 1993 and 2005 in the Pabbo and Lamogi sub-counties of the Amuru district. Born in Pabbo, Amoru district, Kwoyelo was reportedly abducted by the LRA in 1987 on his way to school. Since then, he has been implicated in the LRA’s atrocities in Northern Uganda, rising through the ranks until his capture by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in 2008.
In 2000, Kwoyelo sought amnesty under the Amnesty Act, but his application was rejected by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). Despite an appeal, the Supreme Court ruled in April 2015 that he could be subjected to trial.
