Thomas Kwoyelo defence clashes with prosecution

GULU | In a tense courtroom showdown at the Gulu High Court circuit, former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo was denied the opportunity to make an unsworn statement in his defense.

The four presiding judges unanimously rejected the request by Kwoyelo's defense team, led by Caleb Alaka, Dalton Opwonya, Evans Ochieng, and Anyuru Boris, citing the gravity of the 78 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity he faces.

"The Thomas Kwoyelo trial is of a peculiar nature," argued Evans Ochieng, one of the defense lawyers, as he displayed torn pieces of paper from an exercise book used by Kwoyelo to communicate with his legal team.

However, the prosecution, led by William Byanzi, scoffed at the request, asserting that Kwoyelo cannot "have his cake and eat it."

Juliet Harty Hatanga, deputy registrar of the International Crimes Division (ICD), supported the prosecution's stance, emphasizing the extensive duration of the trial and the ample time available for the defense to prepare.

"The defense lawyers should have had enough time to brief the accused," she stated.

Justice Duncan Gaswaga, one of the presiding judges, acknowledged the defense team's plea for time to consult with Kwoyelo. Consequently, the court adjourned the proceedings to the following day, April 16, awaiting further developments in the highly anticipated trial.