The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The case in which one of the commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Thomas Kwoyelo is facing 93 charges related to atrocities committed during the Northern Uganda political insurgency has been adjourned to May 23rd 2022, to enable the prosecutors prepare more witnesses.
The case was adjourned on Friday afternoon by a panel of three Judges of the International Crimes Division of the High Court comprised of Michael Elubu, Stephen Mubiru and Duncan Gaswaga.
This was after a team of prosecutors led by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions George William Byansi asked for more time to enable them prepare other witnesses to testify in the case against Kwoyelo.
Kwoyelo’s lawyers led by Caleb Alaka did not object to the request.
Accordingly, the case was adjourned to May 23rd, 2022.
Earlier before the adjournment, a Uganda People’s Defense Forces soldier who arrested Kwoyelo testified as a prosecution witness number 24.
The witnesses whose names couldn’t be mentioned for his own safety and security reasons noted that he arrested Kwoyelo from Garamba forest on March 3rd 2009 during the UPDF Operation code-named “Operation Lightning Thunder” which was aimed against LRA rebels led by Joseph Kony.
According to the witness, he found Kwoyelo lying under a tree covered with leaves and that he was sick with an open injury on the stomach which they later treated as the UPDF.
The witness added that he nearly killed Kwoyelo because when he told him to wake up and surrender himself, Kwoyelo started feeling around himself and the witness had thought that he was looking for a gun to shoot at him. But Kwoyelo was not armed and he was trying to hold his stomach which had an injury.
Court heard that the arresting officer later handed Kwoyelo to his bosses in the operation who airlifted him to Uganda to face justice.
Speaking to Uganda Radio Network, the lawyer representing the victims Henry Kilama Komakech has applauded the UPDF for having treated Kwoyelo saying that even though he is a rebel, what the UPDF did is what is provided for under the International humanitarian laws if justice is to be achieved.
The prosecution alleges that Kwoyelo who was born in the present day Amuru district in Northern Uganda got enlisted in the LRA group and underwent military training rising through the ranks and led attacks on civilians in the years 1987, 1993, 1996 and 2004 .
In these incidents, the prosecution says Kwoyelo would use axes, cabs and guns to attack his victims and take them hostage and many would be discovered dead the following day with their hands tied behind their backs.
Kwoyelo who has demanded to be taken to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands for a speedy trial has so far been on remand for 13 years.
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