Former LRA Commander Convicted of War Crimes

Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), was sentenced to 40 years in prison by a Ugandan court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and enslavement. This landmark trial, held in Gulu, is the first of its kind in Uganda and represents a significant step towards justice for victims of the LRA's two-decade-long insurgency that terrorized northern Uganda and surrounding regions. Kwoyelo, who was abducted by the LRA as a child and rose to become a commander, was convicted on 44 of 78 charges, with his legal team intending to appeal the sentence. The trial highlighted the atrocities committed by the group under Joseph Kony's leadership, who remains at large and wanted by the ICC. The court considered Kwoyelo's abduction as a mitigating factor, choosing not to impose a death sentence or life imprisonment, and acknowledged his expressed remorse. This trial underscores Uganda's efforts in addressing the LRA's legacy of violence while international efforts to capture Kony continue.