In a landmark ruling, a Ugandan court has convicted Thomas Kwoyelo, a senior commander of the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), of committing atrocities on a massive scale. This unprecedented judgment marks the first time a high-ranking member of the rebel group has been held accountable by Uganda’s judicial system.
Kwoyelo’s crimes, which span over two decades, include murder, rape, enslavement, torture, and kidnapping – a grim testament to the LRA’s reign of terror under the leadership of Joseph Kony. The group’s brutal campaign of violence and intimidation left deep scars on Ugandan communities, with thousands of lives lost, and countless more destroyed.
The verdict, delivered in the northern Ugandan city of Gulu, saw Kwoyelo shake his head in apparent disagreement, his arms crossed in defiance. Justice Michael Elubu, part of a four-judge panel, declared, “The accused is found guilty of the charges brought against him.”
Kwoyelo’s capture in 2009 by the Ugandan military in northeastern Congo marked the beginning of a long and winding journey through the country’s court system. Today’s verdict brings a measure of justice to the victims and their families, and serves as a powerful reminder that those responsible for heinous crimes will be held accountable.
