Ugandan Court Sentences Former LRA Commander to 40 Years for War Crimes

Thomas Kwoyelo is the first LRA member to be tried and sentenced in Uganda for his role in the group's violent insurgency.

Thomas Kwoyelo was convicted on 44 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, and torture.
The trial marks a historic first for Uganda, as it is the first time a member of the Lord's Resistance Army has been tried for war crimes in the country.
Kwoyelo was abducted by the LRA at age 12 and rose to the rank of a low-level commander under leader Joseph Kony.
He was captured in 2009 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and spent 14 years in detention before his trial concluded.
Despite his conviction, Kwoyelo avoided the death penalty due to his young age at recruitment and his expressed remorse.