The highly anticipated trial of Thomas Kwoyelo, a former child soldier turned commander in the notorious Lords’ Resistance Army (LRA), has commenced. Kwoyelo faces more than 70 charges, including murder, rape, and the recruitment of child soldiers, marking a historic moment as the first LRA commander to be tried in a Ugandan court.
After spending 14 years in pre-trial detention, Kwoyelo appeared via video link from his Kampala prison for the trial taking place in Gulu city, northern Uganda—the same region terrorized by the LRA. He vehemently denies all charges against him.
The LRA, led by Joseph Kony, wreaked havoc in Uganda over two decades ago, claiming to fight for a government based on the Bible’s 10 Commandments. Infamous for atrocities like mutilations and abductions of children for soldiers and sex slaves, the LRA operated in northern Uganda, later expanding to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
Friday’s trial is being held at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Gulu, considered Uganda’s equivalent of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The trial is expected to include testimonies from multiple witnesses, providing accounts of the alleged crimes.
The slow progress of Kwoyelo’s case, the world’s longest international crimes trial, has faced criticism from Human Rights Watch. The delays in accountability for crimes committed during the 25-year conflict, including abuses by Ugandan state forces, have raised concerns.
In 2021, another senior LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen, was sentenced to 25 years by the ICC. However, Kwoyelo’s case is unique, as he claims to have been abducted by LRA fighters at the age of 12 while walking to school. Thousands of former LRA members have been granted amnesty under Ugandan law, but Kwoyelo was denied this option, leading to accusations of political motivation.
As the trial progresses, there are fears that funding issues may cause further delays, denying justice to the alleged victims.
