Caleb Alak, the lawyer representing former Lord’s resistance Army rebel Timothy Kwoyelo presently facing 53 counts of war crimes comprising crimes against humanity has asked government to pronounce itself over Kwoyelo’s amnesty application.

Kwoyelo faces charges of murder, wilful killing, kidnap with intent to kill, and destruction of property during an attack he commanded in Abera village in Parabongo Sub County Amuru district in 1999 among other charges.

Alaka has demanded that government should pronounce its self on the earlier applications for Amnesty by the war crime suspect.

Alaka says he has petitioned the war crime division of the High court to compel government to state why it has not yet responded to Kwoyelo’s application for amnesty.

The lawyer disclosed that on 12th January 2010 while in Luzira prison, Kwoyelo renounced war and armed rebellion against the government which he followed by formally applying for amnesty.

Alak added the principle legal office of amnesty commission also wrote to the Director of Public Prosecution indicating that Kwoyelo qualified for amnesty.

Thomas Kwoyelo in court

He said amnesty commission asked the DPP to certify Kwoyelo’s application to enable him get amnesty. However, Alaka says the DPP has neither responded to the request for certification from the amnesty commission neither given a stand on the matter.

Alaka is now accusing the government of denying his client a right to fair hearing and equal treatment.

He explained that senior former LRA commanders like brigadier Sam Kolo and Kenneth Banya who like Kwoyelo where captured by the army during combat but were pardoned and granted amnesty.

Alaka wondered how government could fail to pardon and grant amnesty to a junior former rebel commander. Once granted amnesty the Kwoyelo trail would be become irrelevant.

The amnesty Act provides that the person who has been granted amnesty can longer be prosecuted for the activities to which he or she has been pardoned.

Ultimate Media