In a significant moment for justice in Uganda, a former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group has been found guilty of numerous crimes against humanity. The verdict was delivered by a panel of the High Court in Gulu, a city in northern Uganda that was once heavily impacted by the LRA insurgency.
Thomas Kwoyelo, the defendant, faced a range of charges including murder, pillaging, enslavement, imprisonment, rape, and cruelty. He was convicted on 44 of the 78 counts he faced for crimes committed between 1992 and 2005. The sentencing date has not yet been announced.
Kwoyelo, who held the military rank of colonel within the LRA, was accused of ordering violent attacks on civilians, many of whom were displaced by the rebel group's activities. The LRA's notorious leader, Joseph Kony, remains at large, with the U.S. offering a reward for information leading to his capture.
While thousands of former rebel combatants have received amnesty from the Ugandan government over the years, Kwoyelo was denied such reprieve. His trial, which began in 2019, was seen as a rare opportunity for justice for victims of the LRA conflict.
The LRA, known for its brutal tactics including recruiting child soldiers and keeping girls as sex slaves, was responsible for multiple massacres targeting the Acholi ethnic group. Kony, the self-proclaimed messiah of the group, aimed to rule Uganda based on the biblical Ten Commandments.
Despite the challenges in delivering justice in a society still recovering from the impact of war, Kwoyelo's conviction marks a significant step towards accountability for the atrocities committed during the LRA insurgency. The group, which originated as an anti-government rebellion in Uganda, has largely faded in recent years, with reports of LRA attacks becoming rare.
