Eyes downcast and voice quiet, accused rebel Thomas Kwoyelo repeated the same phrase over and over; “I did not know about it and I did not do it.” The first of the Lord’s Resistance Army to be tried in a domestic court, Kwoyelo stands accused of 93 counts of murder, rape, kidnap, and torture, as well as violations of the Geneva Convention. Plea taking occurred on November 12 and 13, 2018 at the High Court in Gulu. Kwoyelo pleaded not-guilty to all charges.
Following plea-taking, the case was adjourned until next year, and will continue in February of 2019. This follows a previous adjournment in September, when defense attorneys argued that the accused had not been presented with a proper translation of his indictment. A bail hearing set to take place on November 15, 2018 has also been postponed until January. Kwoyelo will again return to prison, awaiting a trial that has taken nearly ten years to come.
In addition to these continued delays, Victim’s Counsel Komatech Kilima claims that survivors’ voices have not been properly represented. Speaking outside of the court, following the first day of plea-taking, he said, “The trial has not been fair to victims.” Specifically, Kilima asserts that he has not been given the necessary facilitation by the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Uganda (ICD) to visit impacted areas, and gather opinions and testimony. A lack of funding has made it virtually impossible to share the voices and needs of those affected by war.
Kilima called passionately for grassroots programs and non-profit intervention to bring more attention to the trial, encourage community participation and protect the rights of all those involved. He said, it is crucial to, “keep it on people’s lips throughout.”
Meanwhile, Lady Justice Kiggundu claimed that the ICD in Uganda should provide proper facilitation for the Victims Counsel to properly consult with affected persons ahead of the bail application.
The Justice and Reconciliation Project will continue to share news and information about the trial as the story develops.