KOLE DISTRICT: Tragic Murder Prompts Police to Urge Clan Leaders for Conflict Resolution.

Police in North Kyoga Region Encourages Community Leaders to Address Disputes Locally Following Brutal Killing Incident.

North Kyoga Police have appealed to clan leaders to proactively engage in conflict resolution within their communities. The plea follows the arrest of Ojok Denis, who stands accused of brutally murdering his nephew, Ojok Tobby, in Abim village, Ayaraya parish, Alito Sub-County in Kole District on the evening of Monday, October 23, 2023.

According to a statement released by North Kyoga Police Spokesperson, SP Jimmy Patrick Okema, the tragedy occurred around 7:00 PM when the suspect, armed with an axe, attacked Tobby at his home.

Eyewitnesses reported that the suspect emerged from a nearby cassava garden, found Tobby sitting on his veranda, and struck him on the head, leading to his immediate death. Preliminary findings say that the motive behind the brutal attack appears to be a longstanding land dispute between the suspect and the deceased as preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect wanted a piece of land legally owned by Tobby, which had been allocated to him after a clan division.

The wife of the deceased discovered her husband severely injured upon her return home. Despite her attempts to seek medical help, Tobby succumbed to his injuries due to excessive bleeding.

The crime scene was meticulously examined and documented by the District Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) in collaboration with a team of detectives from the homicide squad. An axe, believed to be the murder weapon, was recovered at the scene according to the statement by the North Kyoga Police person SP. Jimmy Patrick Okema.

Statements from relevant witnesses have been recorded and the body of the deceased has been transferred to Lira Regional Referral Hospital, where a postmortem examination will be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.

SP Okema in his statement further emphasized the importance of community leaders intervening in such disputes before they escalate into violence. He urged clan leaders to resolve conflicts harmoniously or seek assistance from appropriate authorities for legal advice and mediation.

The suspect, Ojok Denis, voluntarily surrendered himself to the police at Alito Police Station, where investigations into the incident are currently underway. The North Kyoga Police are encouraging the local community to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.