16-yr-old girl strangled to death in attempted rape

Two men are being held at Oyam Central Police Station in connection with the murder of a 16-year-old girl.

Judith Ayugi, was strangled to death in a failed rape in the wee hours of Tuesday morning in a cassava garden near her home in Amoyai village, Aleka Sub County in Oyam district.

Aleka LCIII chairperson, George Isaac Arong, said he got a phone call from a resident of the area and reached the scene at around 4am and was told that the girl who was living with her maternal grandmother was lured to her death.

Arong said a younger girl who was sharing the house with the deceased narrated that unknown people called her from outside the house at night saying that her grandmother was lying on the road drunk and that Ayugi go help them carry her home. Her grandmother had during the day gone for a funeral but never returned home.

After walking with the assailants for a short distance, the deceased became suspicious and started to run back home but the assailants caught up with her and a struggle ensued during which she was heard calling for help.

Arong said neighbours responded to the alarm and found the assailants strangling the girl upon which they fled. The residents gave chase but failed to keep up with the assailants.

Ayugi's body was found lifeless and when the scene was searched, a pair of shoes was found that was eventually linked to a suspect who was arrested.

Oyam DPC Najib Waiswa confirmed the incident and said two people have been arrested.

Speaking in a phone interview, Najib said Police has information that can be used as evidence to pin the suspects he ultimately refuse to name.

Arong however named the suspects as Jolly Olot a known drug abuser from the same village and his colleague Tony Ogwal, a resident of a nearby Lelapala village.

He said after the pair of shoes was recovered, Olot's mother was seen ferrying away her property in fear of reprisal attacks from relatives of the deceased. Around said she confirmed that the shoes belonged to her son.

The accused's Okiiamat clan are said to be requesting for mediation with the clan members of the deceased to enable them pay "blood compensation".

In the Lango culture, when one kills another, cattle (about seven) have to be paid in compensation by the clan members of the murderer to the clan of the deceased if reprisal is to be averted.