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The Police in Otuke District are holding a 38-year-old man suspected of hacking his wife to death with an axe, accusing her of infidelity. 

The LCIII chairperson of Ogor Sub-County, Jasper Okengo, said he received a report that Jimmy Ogwel, suspected that his partner Jennet Atim was out in the company of another man when he attacked her armed with axes and a panga. 

Okengo said the woman, a resident of the area, had taken one of the couple’s three children to a nearby clinic for treatment where the child was admitted, and she spent the night by the sick child’s bedside. 

Ogwel followed Atim to the clinic in the morning and even paid the bill but as they were heading home, she bought her husband a potent gin locally called lira lira, which he carried home. 

On reaching home, the man reportedly took two axes and a panga and demanded to know whether his wife had not slept with the clinic owner. 

Okengo said the woman who was a Born Again Christian, pleaded with her husband saying it was against her beliefs and she could not do such a thing, but the enraged man cut her on the head with an axe. 

Even as she lay down pleading, he reportedly took a panga and cut her demanding to know the truth. 

Neighbours rushed to the scene and found the woman lying helpless on the ground and tried to carry her to the hospital but she passed away before they could leave the home. 

The Aswa region Police spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema, said the territorial command in Otuke District is investigating the murder. 

Okema said Atim on October 13, 2023, took their child who was sick for medical treatment at a nearby clinic where the child was admitted for a night. 

The following day, the child was discharged from the clinic and the mother returned home at around 9:40 pm. 

The suspect became very annoyed suspecting that the wife could have gone to have sex with another man, he later picked an axe and killed her instantly. 

Okema said the crime scene was visited by a team of Police officers from Otuke Central Police Station, the scene was well documented, suspect was arrested and taken to cells at Otuke CPS as his file is being compiled for submission to the resident state attorney. 

The body was taken to Orum Orum Heath Center IV where a postmortem was carried out. 

“This is a very sad incident. We encourage married people to always control their tempers before acting,” Okema said as he called for calm from the relatives of the deceased and promised to do all it takes for justice to prevail. 

Otuke LCV chairperson Francis Abola said the biggest problem in Lango is alcohol and drug abuse. 

“The way our people are drinking is not normal, they have turned alcohol to be the only thing they can do on earth,” Abola said. 

He said after taking alcohol, these people can do anything and their eyes open, after the act, which is too late. 

He observed that on Sunday alone, Otuke lost three people in mysterious circumstances.

He said a cyclist from Opejal Parish in Okwang sub-county was knocked dead in Lira City and a Prison wardress, Scovia Angu, 52, was found dead in her house after disappearing during the day. 

Okengo on his part said the man who allegedly killed his wife is a known drug addict. 

“In Omuko and Adingading parishes, marijuana, and cocaine is grown in plenty,” he said.

Delcano Oboke, an uncle and caretaker of Atim, said they were shocked by the information. He said the mother of three was not yet officially married. 

“This is a heinous crime, the clan must marry the deceased and pay blood compensation,” he said in a phone interview on Sunday evening.

In Lango, culture dictates that when a person kills another, the clan of the killer pays blood compensation. In the case of an unmarried woman, they must also marry or pay the bride price before the body is laid to rest