Thomas Kwoyelo, a notorious rebel commander has asked Uganda to transfer his trial to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kwoyelo who is accused of leading massacres against civilians in northern Uganda faces dozens of charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) between 1993 and 2005.
In 2009, he surrendered to the Ugandan army and has complained that his trial which began four years ago has been slow and has been hampered by logistical challenges and the coronavirus pandemic.
Kwoyelo who rose to the rebel rank of colonel and is the first LRA commander to be tried in Uganda made the request to go to the ICC as the second phase of his trial began at the International Crimes Division of the High Court in the capital, Kampala.
He also requested to be granted bail on health grounds, although his lawyers have not yet applied for it.
Last year, the ICC gave another LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen, a 25-year sentence for war crimes including murder and the recruitment of child soldiers.
