LRA rebel commander jailed in Uganda for war crimes in landmark case 

KAMPALA — 

Thomas Kwoyelo, a mid-level commandant successful the notorious Lord's Resistance Army rebel group, was sentenced to 40 years successful situation successful Uganda connected Friday for warfare crimes including murder, rape, enslavement, torture and kidnap.

Kwoyelo was convicted of dozens of warfare crimes successful August, the archetypal clip an serviceman of his seniority had been tried by Uganda's judiciary.

Founded successful the precocious 1980s with the purpose of overthrowing the government, the LRA brutalized Ugandans nether the enactment of Joseph Kony for astir 20 years arsenic it battled the subject from bases successful bluish Uganda.

The insurgents carried retired horrific acts of cruelty, including rapes, abductions, hacking disconnected victims' limbs and lips and utilizing crude instruments to bludgeon radical to death.

"The convict played a salient relation successful the planning, strategy and existent execution of the offences of utmost gravity," Justice Duncan Gasagwa, 1 of the 4 judges, said.

"The victims person been near with lasting carnal and intelligence symptom and suffering."

Kwoyelo avoided the decease condemnation due to the fact that helium was recruited by the LRA astatine a young age, was not 1 of the top-ranking commanders, and has expressed remorse and a willingness to reconcile with the victims, Gasagwa said.

Kwoyelo had denied the charges during the trial. His lawyer, Caleb Alaka, told the tribunal helium would entreaty against some the verdict and the sentence.

In astir 2005, nether subject pressure, the LRA fled to the lawless jungles of South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, wherever it besides unleashed waves of unit against civilians.

Splintered elements of the group, including Kony, are believed to inactive unrecorded successful those areas, though attacks are present infrequent.

The Ugandan subject captured Kwoyelo successful 2009 successful northeastern Congo and his lawsuit crept done the Ugandan tribunal strategy until helium was convicted successful August.

He was recovered blameworthy connected 44 charges, 31 were dismissed arsenic duplications of others portion helium was acquitted connected three.

An apprehension warrant was issued by the International Criminal Court's (ICC) against Kony successful 2005, making him the court's longest lasting fugitive.

The LRA's archetypal purpose was to make a authorities based connected Kony's mentation of the Ten Commandments.