Thomas Kwoyelo Found Guilty of Crimes Against Humanity
A Ugandan court has convicted Thomas Kwoyelo, the only LRA commander to be tried in Uganda, of multiple crimes against humanity from 1992 to 2005. Leading Judge Michael Elubu declared him guilty of 44 offenses related to murder, rape, torture, abduction, and more.
While Kwoyelo was found not guilty of three murder charges, he still faces sentencing for his crimes. Despite being abducted by the LRA at 12, Kwoyelo was denied amnesty granted to other fighters who surrendered.
This case marks the first trial under the High Court’s special division for international crimes. Kwoyelo’s trial, though controversial, highlights the challenges in delivering justice in a post-conflict society.
Joseph Kony, the founder of the LRA, remains wanted by the ICC for heinous crimes. Kwoyelo’s conviction brings some accountability to the atrocities committed during the LRA’s reign of terror.