The International Crimes Division of the High Court will on Tuesday (April 30, 2024) start hearing a case in which former Lord Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo is battling accusations of war crimes.

“Take note that this case has been fixed for hearing in this honourable court on April 30, 2024, at 9:00am sitting at High Court in Gulu,” a notice signed by deputy registrar Juliet Hatanga reads in part.

She warns that if no appearance is made by the parties, the case will be heard and decided in their absence.

The hearing notice has been sent to lawyers representing Kwoyelo, who include Dalton Opwonya, Caleb Alaska, Evans Ochieng and Borris Anyuru.

The victim's counsel, who include Robert Mackay, Henry Komakech Kilama and Jane Magdalane Amooti also received the hearing notice.

Others who received the hearing notice are the prosecution team which includes William Byansi, Florence Akello, Charles Kaamuli and Lillian Omara.

The defence lawyers disclosed that Kwoyelo has lined up former rebels as witnesses to defend him over war crime accusations.

The lawyers, therefore, asked the International Crimes Division of the High Court, presided over by Justice Michael Elubu, to facilitate a convenient platform of witness protection, which was granted.

Elubu is hearing the case together with Justices Duncan Gaswaga and Andrew Bashaija.

Offences

Kwoyelo was indicted with 93 charges relating to war crimes in northern Uganda allegedly committed between January 1995 and December 2005.

However, on December 13, 2023, the International Crimes Division Court justices ruled that Kwoyelo has a case to answer in 78 cases against him.

Kwoyelo is facing trial on several offences including violations against the Geneva Convention under the Geneva Convention Act, Charges against humanity, and charges under the Penal Code Act, among others.

Kwoyelo was captured by Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces in the Garamba forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2005.