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Three people have been arrested and detained at Soroti Central Police Station over the alleged murder of the Local Council 1 chairperson of Ongurio village, Achuna, Tubur sub-county over a land-related conflict. 

According to the district police commander, Soroti district, Moses Olang, the suspects allegedly killed Julius Ediangu, in Soroti on the morning of April 28, 2024. 

He revealed the identities of the suspects as Kokas Ediangu, 23, Daniel Okiror, 31, and Denis Otim, 28, all residents of Ongurio village whom he said would appear before the court. 

Olang said the suspects whom Police discovered had a long-term land conflict, purportedly followed the deceased to where he was constructing a grass-thatched hut, beat him up using big sticks and later hacked him using a panga that instantly killed him. 

DPC Olang also revealed that cases in relation to land wrangles are on the rise, noting that for the last month, they have registered four deaths, of which two were connected to land conflicts, while one death was in relation to domestic violence, and the other one was criminal in nature.

The East Kyoga Regional Police Commander, Damalie Nachuha, during a press briefing in her office, revealed that they are experiencing murders as a result of land conflicts and the districts which are leading in this statistic are Soroti and Serere.



According to one of the neighbours to the deceased, the two parties had been having land disputes for a long time and had threatened to harm each other. 

Soroti LC5 chairperson Simon Peter Edoru expressed disappointment with the manner and circumstances of Ediangu’s death and cautioned the community against engaging in land conflicts and killing each other.

Soroti resident district commissioner Salim Komakech warned the community against resorting to violence to solve land conflicts. 

Komakech was speaking to locals of Gweri County who had gathered to receive maize seedlings.