Africa-Press – Uganda. Thomas Kwoyelo alias Latoni, a former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel commander, has lined up 50 witnesses to defend him in court.
In a closed meeting, Kwoyelo, who is facing 78 counts of alleged civilian killings during the two-decade insurgency in Uganda’s northern region, through his lawyers Caleb Alaka and Evans Ochienge Friday appeared before the deputy registrar Juliet Harty Hatanga at the International Crimes Division of the High Court, where they made the revelations.
Court has also heard that Kwoyelo’s lawyers will go for out-reach camps in Gulu to screen their witnesses and conclude by February 5, 2024.
Last month, a panel of four justices led by Michael Elubu of the International Crimes Division Court sitting at Gulu- ordered Kwoyelo to defend himself on 78 charges including murder as a crime against humanity, pillaging, violence to life, outrage against personal dignity and cruel treatment among others.
Prosecution closed its case after presenting 53 witnesses.
The DPP states that Kwoyelo underwent basic military training that saw him quickly rise through the LRA ranks to become a colonel, a rank he held at the time of arrest.
He is alleged to have committed the crimes between 1992 and 2005 when he was a military commander in the LRA and held several positions including commander of operations, director of military intelligence and being in charge of the LRA sick bays.
It’s alleged that Kwoyelo while in Kilak carried out widespread killings of civilians, abductions and destruction of property.
“On the 5/9/1994 or thereabout, Kwoyelo commanded an armed attack in Abera village, Parubanga Parish, Pabbo Sub-county in Kilak. Along with his forces he raided several civilian homes,” the indictment reads in part.
“In the course of the raid, the accused (Kwoyelo) and his forces tortured, maimed and abducted a number of civilians including David Akena, Patrick Ochen, Menya Odong, John Ouma, Ojok Patrick, Okot Charles, Simon Ogena and others,” the amended charge sheet further reads.
Among the pieces of evidence, the DPP provided include postmortem reports, police reports and other documents, photographs, correspondences, written statements of witnesses, and newspaper extracts.
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