Justice Susan Okalany of the International Crimes Division of the High Court has offered an apology for the prolonged trial of Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The trial, related to Kwoyelo’s alleged involvement in the two-decade war in Northern Uganda, has been ongoing for nearly 15 years.
Speaking during a court outreach in Abera Village, Amuru District, Justice Okalany acknowledged the delays and apologized, stating, “I want to apologize on behalf of Uganda and not only the Judiciary for the delayed trial of Thomas Kwoyelo. This is a very shameful thing for us as a court. I can’t cover it in any way.”
The judge attributed some of the delays to challenges faced by the judicial system, including Kwoyelo challenging the Amnesty Act before the Constitutional Court, the impact of COVID-19, and resource constraints. Justice Okalany expressed hope that the matter would be concluded around mid-year.
Justice Richard Wabwire Wejuli, another judge present at the outreach, acknowledged the challenges but assured residents that a verdict should be reached by mid-year. He highlighted logistical challenges as the primary cause of the delay but emphasized the court’s commitment to prosecuting the case.
The outreach was conducted to prepare for Kwoyelo’s defense, with the court seeking potential defense witnesses from communities affected by the conflict. Kwoyelo’s lawyer, Mr. Caleb Alaka, mentioned plans to have 50 witnesses for the defense and indicated readiness to start defending Kwoyelo from February 5, subject to the completion of witness assessments by February 4.
The delay in the trial has also affected the exhumation and reburial of victims of the Kony war, as some locals expressed frustration over the prolonged legal process hindering their efforts to relocate the remains of their loved ones from internally displaced people’s camps back to their villages. However, the State considers the exhumation sites as crime scenes, preventing their immediate relocation.
