The pretrial hearing against former Lord's Resistance Army commander Thomas Kwoyelo has today morning begun before the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Gulu.
It started with a closed door session held by the presiding Justice, Suzan Okalany’s chambers with the prosecution, defense lawyers and the victims.
However, this angered residents who had turned up for the hearing hoping to watch every detail, only to be told that the public session will commence at 2PM.
The closed session lasted for about two and hours before Charles Byansi, the lead prosecutor gave anxious members of the public the not so good news.
A state brief standing in for Col. Thomas Kwoyelo Charles Dalton Opwonya, told the press that the session considered some sticking issues including rights of the accused, witness protection and participation of witnesses, which he said couldn't be discussed in the open court.
Members of Kweyolo's family led by his mother, Regina Ajok quickly stormed out of court room after the adjournment was announced.
Kwoyelo was dragged to court shortly after his arrest in combat with Uganda People's Defence Forces -UPDF in Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008 and remanded to Luzira maximum prison.
He faces 12 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity and 53 alternative charges he is alleged to have committed while fighting for the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due to stand trial in October 2016.
