Former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander, Thomas Kwoyelo, who faces 93 charges related to war crimes allegedly committed between January 1995 and December 2005, has announced plans to present over 50 witnesses in his defense. The decision was revealed by Kwoyelo during an interaction with his legal team, which includes lawyers Caleb Alaka, Evans Ochieng, and Charles Dalton Opwonya at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala on Friday, January 12, 2024.
While Kwoyelo expressed his intention to actively defend himself, he has not yet decided whether he will testify under oath. The former LRA commander is scheduled to appear before Justice Michael Elubu on January 19, 2024, for a mention of his case, after which the matter will be fixed for a defense hearing. Justices Duncan Gaswaga and Andrew Bashaija are also hearing the case alongside Justice Elubu.
On December 13, 2023, the International Crimes Division Court ruled that Kwoyelo had a case to answer in 78 of the 93 charges brought against him. The charges include violations against the Geneva Convention, crimes against humanity, and charges under the Penal Code Act. Kwoyelo was captured by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces in the Garamba forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2005.
The upcoming defense hearing will be a crucial phase in Kwoyelo’s trial, providing an opportunity for him to present witnesses and evidence to challenge the charges brought against him.
