In a landmark ruling, the International Crimes Division of the High Court has found former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel commander Thomas Kwoyelo, alias Latoni, guilty of 44 charges, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious offenses.
The charges against Kwoyelo stem from atrocities committed between 1987 and 2005 during the LRA’s brutal insurgency against the Ugandan government.
Initially, Kwoyelo faced 93 charges, encompassing violations of international humanitarian law and customary international law. These charges included breaches of Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions, such as pillaging, cruel treatment, murder, outrages upon personal dignity, and violence to life. Kwoyelo was also charged with crimes against humanity, including murder, imprisonment, rape, enslavement, and torture.
After an exhaustive legal process, the court acquitted Kwoyelo of 14 charges in December 2023, leaving 78 charges for defense.
In the final ruling, Kwoyelo was convicted of 44 charges, while three additional charges were dismissed. A further 33 charges were discarded as alternative charges once the substantive charges were upheld.
The case was presided over by a distinguished panel of judges: Justice Michael Elubu (Head), Justice Stephen Mubiru, Justice Duncan Gaswaga, and Alternate Judge Justice Andrew Bashaija.
Specifically, Kwoyelo was convicted of:
- War Crimes:
- 2 counts of pillaging
- 4 counts of murder
- 3 counts of cruel treatment
- 6 counts of outrages upon personal dignity
- 2 counts of violence to life (cruel treatment and torture)
- Crimes Against Humanity:
- 4 counts of murder
- 1 count of imprisonment
- 3 counts of other inhumane acts
- 1 count of enslavement
- 2 counts of rape
- 2 counts of torture
- Penal Code Violations:
- 14 counts of kidnap with intent to murder
The court will reconvene at a later date, yet to be announced, to determine Kwoyelo’s sentence.
This historic prosecution was led by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) George William Byansi, alongside Assistant DPPs Charles Richard Kaamuli and Florence Akello Owinji, and Chief State Attorney Lillian Omara Alum.
Kwoyelo’s defense team included Senior Counsels Dalton Opwonya, Caleb Alaka, Evans Ochieng, and Borris Geoffrey Anyuru. The victims were represented by Lead Counsel Robert Mackay, along with Counsel Amooti Jane Magdalene and Henry Komakech Kilama.
Kwoyelo was a child soldier in the LRA and was kidnapped at the age of 13. Kwoyelo suffered torture and was convinced in his time of captivity to serve as a child soldier for the LRA.
Comments are closed.