Moses Akena
4 November 2009
Gulu — The nine Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels who surrendered to the Congolese army last week in Faraje and Aba will be granted amnesty, the 4th Division army spokesman has said.
Capt. Ronald Kakurungu told journalists in Gulu Town on Monday that the defectors will undergo rehabilitation at Gulu Save the Children and World Vision rehabilitation centres before benefitting from amnesty.
Efforts to get a comment from the public relations officer of the Amnesty Commission, Mr Moses Draku, were futile as his phone was switched off.
According to Capt. Kakurungu, the rebels who were under Joseph Kony, reportedly defected after a battle with the UPDF 69th Battalion in DR Congo.
Rebels identified
Capt. Kakurungu identified the rebels as Lieutenants Francis Opira, 24, and Michael Ojok, 26, sergeants Anthony Olanya, 23, Dennis Okwera, 20, and Francis Toolit, 20.
Others are privates Simon Osilo 14, Agnes Amony, 18, Poline Adoch, 19, and Stella Achan, 18. They defected with a one-year-old baby.
"I am happy that God has helped me come back home," Lt. Ojok said.
Ecstatic family members and relatives turned up at the UPDF Child Protection Unit in Gulu town to welcome them.
This brings to 42, the number of LRA rebels who have surrendered to the army since July, 11 of them were women, 25 males, and six children.
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