High Court Sets Trial Date for Kwoyelo, Former LRA Rebel Commander
The International Crimes Division of the High Court has scheduled the commencement of Thomas Kwoyelo’s war crimes case for April 15, 2024, with instructions for legal filings and warnings for non-appearance.
The International Crimes Division of the High Court has scheduled April 15, 2024, as the commencement date for the hearing of a case wherein former Lord Resistance Army (LRA) commander, Thomas Kwoyelo, is facing allegations of war crimes.
A notice, signed by Deputy Registrar Juliet Hatanga, informs that the hearing is set to commence at 9:00 am on April 15, 2024, emphasizing that failure to appear will result in the case proceeding in the absence of the concerned party.
The defense counsel has been instructed to submit disclosures by April 15. The legal representatives for Kwoyelo include Dalton Opwonya, Caleb Alaska, Evans Ochieng, and Borris Anyuru, while Henry Komakech and Jane Magdalane represent the victims’ interests.
The prosecution team consists of William Byansi, Florence Akello, Charles Kaamuli, and Lillian Omara.
During the previous court session, Kwoyelo’s defense revealed plans to present former rebels as witnesses in his defense against war crime allegations. Consequently, they have requested the court, presided over by Justice Michael Elubu, to establish a suitable witness protection framework.
Attorney Evans Ochieng expressed the intention to seek measures ensuring the safety and anonymity of witnesses, highlighting their current count of 30 witnesses.
Furthermore, Justice Elubu informed the involved parties that Judiciary Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana had secured resources to facilitate the forthcoming session, where Kwoyelo will present his defense in the High Court situated in Gulu.
The panel of judges overseeing the case comprises Justices Duncan Gaswaga and Andrew Bashaija, alongside Justice Elubu.
Regarding the charges, Kwoyelo faces indictment on 93 counts of war crimes allegedly committed in northern Uganda between January 1995 and December 2005. However, on December 13, 2023, the International Crimes Division Court justices ruled that he has a case to answer in 78 instances.
The charges against Kwoyelo include violations of the Geneva Convention under the Geneva Convention Act, crimes against humanity, and offenses outlined in the Penal Code Act, among others.
Kwoyelo was apprehended by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces in the Garamba forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2005.
