Lubaale, Emma Charlene (2025) The conviction and sentencing of ex-rebel, Thomas Kwoyelo, 15 years on. Opinio Juris.

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Abstract

Thomas Kwoyelo was a mid-level commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group notorious for its brutal tactics in Uganda. Key figures in the LRA including Kwoyelo and Dominic Ongwen, were abducted as children. Despite their initial victimisation, Kwoyelo and Ongwen rose through the ranks to become commanders, participating in and orchestrating numerous atrocities. Kwoyelo was recently convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity. His trial marked the first time an LRA commander was prosecuted by Uganda’s judiciary. This case highlights two key issues: the trial’s length and its comparison to Dominic Ongwen’s case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Kwoyelo, sentencing, Uganda, International Crimes
Subjects:	J Political Science > JX International law K Law > K Law (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences > School of Law and Criminology
Last Modified:	24 Feb 2026 13:04
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52391

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