Uganda: Ex-LRA Commander Gets 40-Year Sentence for War Crimes
Uganda: Ex-LRA Commander ConvictedGets of40-Year CrimesSentence Againstfor HumanityWar Crimes
The Facts
The charges against Kwoyelo included murder, rape, torture, pillaging, abduction, and destruction of settlements for internally displaced people, committed between 1992 and 2005.A Ugandan court on Friday sentenced Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, to 40 years in prison for crimes committed between 1996 and 2005.
This case marks the first atrocity trial under the International Crimes Division (ICD) of Uganda's High Court, which focuses on international crimes.In August, Kwoyelo was found guilty of 44 counts of crimes against humanity in the first such trial in the East African country. He denied all charges.
The Spin
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Kwoyelo's trial raises complex ethical questions about accountability in cases involving former child soldiers. In addition, the long delay in bringing Kwoyelo to trial and the selective prosecution of LRA members while sparing some Ugandan military commanders accused of abuses highlight potential inconsistencies in the pursuit of justice.
