Breaking News: Ugandan sentences LRA commander to 40 years in landmark war crimes trial

A Ugandan court has sentenced Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), to 40 years in prison for his role in the group’s notorious campaign of violence that terrorized the nation for two decades. The verdict, delivered on Friday by lead judge Michael Elubu in Gulu, marks a significant moment in Uganda’s judicial history.

Justice Duncan Gasagwa emphasized the severity of Kwoyelo’s actions, stating, “the convict played a prominent role in the planning, strategy and actual execution of the offences of extreme gravity.” He further noted the enduring impact on victims, declaring that “the victims have been left with lasting physical and mental pain and suffering.”

Kwoyelo, convicted in August of 44 offenses—including murder and rape—was acquitted of three murder charges, while 31 alternate charges were dismissed. His trial was particularly notable as it was the first time an LRA member was prosecuted under Uganda’s high court’s special division dedicated to international crimes.

The LRA, founded in the late 1980s, sought to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government, inflicting unimaginable brutality on Ugandans under the leadership of Joseph Kony. The group’s fighters gained infamy for their horrific acts, which included the dismemberment of victims and extreme violence against civilians.

At the time of his abduction into the LRA at age 12, Kwoyelo was merely a schoolboy. He later rose to the rank of senior commander, overseeing the care of injured fighters and operating under the alias Latoni. His capture in 2009, during a raid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed years of military pressure that forced the LRA out of northern Uganda.

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While some have argued for Kwoyelo’s release due to his lengthy pre-trial detention, victims’ advocates have insisted on accountability. “He was a rude person and a fighter,” recalled a victim identified as Jaqueline, who was born in LRA captivity and said Kwoyelo killed her father for disobedience.

Kwoyelo’s defense attorney, Caleb Akala, argued that his client was a victim of circumstances, having been forcibly conscripted as a child. Despite these claims, the evidence presented during the trial established his active involvement in LRA operations. Judge Gasagwa noted that Kwoyelo’s youth at the time of recruitment, his lower rank within the organization, and his expressions of remorse contributed to his avoiding a death sentence.

The LRA is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, with thousands of children abducted and forced into roles as soldiers or sex slaves during the group’s reign of terror.