Ugandan Court Sentences LRA Commander to 40 Years in Landmark War Crimes Trial
A court in Uganda has handed down a 40-year prison sentence to Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo for his involvement in the group’s brutal reign of violence over two decades. The landmark trial marked the first time a member of the LRA has been tried by Uganda’s judiciary, focusing on international crimes.
Kwoyelo, a low-level commander, was captured in 2009 and brought back to Uganda after the group was forced out of northern Uganda. Despite pleas for his release due to his long pre-trial detention, Kwoyelo was found guilty of 44 offenses, including murder and rape. Witnesses testified to his involvement in several LRA incursions and killings.
While Kwoyelo avoided the death penalty due to being recruited as a child and expressing remorse, justice was served for the victims who endured lasting physical and mental suffering. The LRA is recognized as a terror group globally for its horrific acts of cruelty, including abducting and forcing thousands of children into combat and sexual slavery.