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GULU

Former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army Thomas Kwoyelo has denied murdering his brother-in-law, Obwoya Albert.

Kwoyelo, who is being tried before the International Crime Division's-court sitting at Gulu High Court circuit, today, April 24, 2024, was asked to respond to 78 counts of war crimes against humanity and sexual crimes. Among other cases Kwoyelo today informed the court that he did not murder Obwoya who was the businessman dealing in selling rice.

👉Ex-LRA boss Kwoyelo has 78 cases to answer—Court

Former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army Thomas Kwoyelo.

The prosecution witness during their testimonies revealed to court that in 1993, Thomas Kwoyelo with his company, stormed the home of Obwoya in the evening and murdered him in cold blood.

However, when he was today continuing with his defence, Kwoyelo told the court that the testimonies, which were given against him that in 1993, at Parubanag in Pabo sub-county, Amuru district, he murdered Obwoya, a businessman, are false.

According to Kwoyelo, in 1993, he was still an escort attached to Lapwony Omego Ocii who was in charge of the sickbay, therefore, being an escort he could not command any operation.

Besides being an escort, Obwoya was his brother-in-law because Acayo Rose who is sister to Obwoya got married to one of his (Kwoyelo) brothers. So, he could not have murdered him because Obwoya was his closest relative.

He also added that at the time he was abducted, he had no tension with Obwoya. So, nothing triggered him to kill Obwoya. Kwoyelo has appealed to the court to trash this case of murder saying that the people who might have murdered Obwoya could have been government soldiers.

According to him, because he is the only LRA commander being tried here, it is likely people whose relatives were killed have ganged up to testify against him.

Kwoyelo's lawyer, Charles Dalton Opwonya, said his team has lined up 13 defence witnesses.