The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
GULU, UGANDA | THE INDEPENDENT | Victims of atrocities committed by former Lord’s Resistance Army rebel commander Thomas Kwoyelo have welcomed his conviction by the International Crimes Division of the High Court (ICD) calling it a major milestone for justice.
Kwoyelo was convicted on Tuesday by the court of 44 out of 78 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between 1993 and 2005 in Amuru district. The crimes relate to murder, rape, kidnap, pillaging, torture, cruel treatment, and outrages upon personal dignity which Kwoyelo has previously denied any involvement.
Kwoyelo’s verdict was delivered by a trial panel of four judges that sat at the Gulu High Court in Northern Uganda.
The verdict was however met with mixed reaction from the victims who have been yearning for justice in the last 15 years since Kwoyelo was captured on March 3, 2009.
Denis Lemoyi, a victim of Kwoyelo’s May 16, 2004, attack on Pagak Internally Displaced People’s Camp (IDP) in Amuru District says the conviction of Kwoyelo brings a ray of hope for the dozens of victims of his atrocities.
Lemoyi who was a former Commandant of the Pagak IDP however says with the conviction secured, they are praying that the court gives a befitting sentence for the convict and rewards victims with a reparation order.
Court records indicate a total of 544 grass-thatched huts were torched and dozens of people killed during the attack.
“There are people who still have bullets and bomb shrapnel on their bodies who need urgent medical attention. We pray that when the convict is sentenced by the court, the victims will be rewarded with a health facility to address their health challenges,” says Lemoyi.
Lemoyi says some of the deceased remains have yet to be relocated from the former IDP camp for decent burials and prayed that the court should expedite the process of issuing an order for relatives to exhume and rebury their loved ones.
David Opobo, one of the victims and a victim’s representative in Abera village in Pabbo Sub-County, says the verdict was long overdue but notes that it marks a journey of hope for people affected by the atrocities.
In Abera village, Kwoyelo was found guilty by the court of committing crimes of murder, inhumane acts, cruel treatment, and imprisonment.
Opobo notes that several households in the area are dealing with the challenges of taking care of dependents who were orphaned by the atrocities while other survivors are still living with injuries from cruel treatment.
“We are happy that the court has found Kwoyelo guilty of his crimes in our area. We are however observing that once he is sentenced, the court should order reparation and compensation for lives and properties lost during the attacks,” he said.
He also suggested that the government should build a rehabilitation facility for supporting survivors suffering from gunshot injuries and cruel treatment.
Moses Rackara, Kwoyelo’s eldest son told Uganda Radio Network on Wednesday that while the family doesn’t object to the guilty verdict, the court should consider giving him a lighter sentence for the times he has been on remand.
Rackara however requested that the court expedite the sentencing process so that the family and Kwoyelo himself get to know their fate with delays.
“We are afraid that the adjournment of the case could drag on for long just like the trial which took many years. Our prayers as a family are for the court to expedite his sentencing,” says Rackara.
The Victim’s counsel Robert Mackay told the court Tuesday that they need time to make observations as far as sentencing is concerned and reach the victims of crime through outreaches. He noted that the victim’s counsel intends to file the victim impact assessment report, especially on the counts that impact the victims of Kwoyelo’s atrocities.
According to the victim’s counsel, there are an estimated 200-300 victims in the Kwoyelo case out of which 134 applied to participate as witnesses.
Justice Michael Elubu on Tuesday acquitted Kwoyelo of three charges of murder and, dismissed 31 other alternate charges for duplication before adjourning the court up to status conferencing next week.
About Kwoyelo
Kwoyelo is the first senior LRA commander convicted by the domestic court in Uganda over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Northern Uganda. He told the court in April this year that he was abducted at the age of 13 while heading home in 1987 in the second term while in Primary three at Pabbo Girls Primary School in present-day Amuru District.
While in the LRA, Kwoyelo held several positions including commander of Operations, Director of Military Intelligence, and, in charge of all Sick Bays. He rose to the rank of colonel with his areas of operation being in Kilak hills in the present-day Amuru district.
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