In a significant legal development, the International Crimes Division of the High Court confirmed 78 out of 93 charges against ex-Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo during a session in Gulu District.
A panel of four justices, led by Michael Elubu, dropped 15 charges due to insufficient evidence.
Kwoyelo, who spent nearly 14 years on remand, now faces trial on a range of charges, including murder, pillaging, and crimes against humanity.
The court ruling outlined the charges against Kwoyelo, accusing him of grave offenses such as murder as a crime against humanity, pillaging, violence to life, and cruel treatment.
The ruling comes eight months after the State closed the presentation of 53 witnesses pinning Thomas Kwoyelo for crimes allegedly committed between 1993 and 2005 in Pabbo and Lamogi sub-counties in present-day Amuru district.
Notably, 15 charges, including hostage-taking, were dropped for lack of compelling evidence.
Kwoyelo is specifically accused of murdering several individuals and kidnapping others with intent to murder during the two-decade insurgency in northern Uganda led by Joseph Kony.
Justice Elubu provided Kwoyelo with three defense options, including remaining silent, making a sworn statement with cross-examination, or making an unsworn statement without cross-examination.
After consulting with his lawyers, Kwoyelo requested three weeks to a month to prepare his defense witnesses.
The case is set for mention on January 19, 2024, in Kampala.
The prosecution team was led by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions; Mr George William Byansi, together with the Assistant DPP Mr Charles Richard Kaamuli, Assistant DPP, Ms Florence Akello and the Chief State Attorney Ms Lillian Omara. The defense team is comprised of; Mr Evans Ochieng, Mr Caleb Alaka, Ms Jane Amooti and Mr Charles Dalton Opwonya.
