Prime
Court appoints four assessors in Kwoyelo case
Gulu. The International Crimes Division of the High Court (ICD) has appointed four assessors to help judges in the ongoing trial of former Lord’s Resistance Army Rebel commander Thomas Kwoyelo, alias Latoni.
The assessors were appointed on Tuesday at the ICD court sitting in Gulu High Court before a panel of three judges as court commenced the opening statement of the state prosecutor.
Kwoyelo appeared before Justices Jane Persis Kiggundu, Duncan Gaswaga and Michael Elubu.
The assessors are Ms Nighty Ajok, 32, a resident of Aywee Village in Pece Division, Gulu Municipality, Mr David Ojok Oyite, 42, a resident of Pageya Parish, Koro Sub-county, Omoro District, Mr Franklyn Odongkara, 33, a resident of Pageya Laroo Village, Bungatira Sub-county, Gulu District, and Mr Daniel Ochen, 25, a farmer and resident of Pece Division in Gulu District.
Initially, the Registrar had presented former police officer Alfred Ongom, 55, but the victims’ counsel, defence lawyers and Kwoyelo rejected him on grounds that he did not possess required documents such as a national identity card.
Assessors cautioned
Justice Gaswaga asked the assessors to keep the court matters confidential, attend all the court sessions in person for two years after which three of them will give their opinion of the case where the other will be an alternate assessor.
Kwoyelo faces 93 charges of murder, pillaging, sexual violence, robbery, hostage taking and kidnap.
He, however, denies all the charges.
Alternative judge appointed
Meanwhile, Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine has also appointed the Gulu resident judge, Mr Stephen Mubiru, as an alternate judge.
Kwoyelo’s defence lawyer, Mr Caleb Alaka told Daily Monitor in an interview that Justice Mubiru was appointed two weeks ago.
“Ordinarily there are supposed to be three judges, but the need for an alternate judge comes in case something happens to one of the judges,”
He, however, noted that the judgment will be delivered by the three judges of the ICD.
