Mayuge man arrested over wife’s murder
Okumu identified the deceased as Rebecca Athieno, 45, saying Ofwono allegedly assaulted the deceased after accusing her of having affairs with other men.
According to the Mayuge District Police Commander, Aggrey Okumu, the suspect, Peter Ofwono, was arrested in Idudi in Bugweri district while allegedly attempting to flee to Tororo district
MAYUGE - A 55- year-old man in Mayuge district is in police custody for allegedly beating his wife to death following accusations of infidelity.
According to the Mayuge District Police Commander, Aggrey Okumu, the suspect, Peter Ofwono, was arrested in Idudi in Bugweri district while allegedly attempting to flee to Tororo district
Ofwono is a resident of Mashaga village in Kityerera sub-county, Mayuge district.
Okumu identified the deceased as Rebecca Athieno, 45, saying Ofwono allegedly assaulted the deceased after accusing her of having affairs with other men.
Matrida Apero, a relative of the deceased, said the couple returned home at about 10:00pm on Sunday (November 1) from Bugadde trading centre, where Athieno operated a chapati stall.
Apero said the disagreement escalated into a physical confrontation during which Ofwono severely assaulted his wife.
“When we attempted to intervene, he (Ofwono) turned against and assaulted us as well,” Apero said.
She added that Athieno repeatedly pleaded with her husband to stop beating her before he eventually calmed down and ordered her to go to bed. “The couple later went to bed, but auntie was in a lot of pain,” Apero said.
According to Apero, Ofwono woke up at about 5:00am on Monday (November 2) and told them that he was going to Bugadde trading centre to pick up his motorcycle. However, he did not return.
Apero said she later went to the couple’s bedroom to wake up Athieno so that they could go to the trading centre and prepare chapatis for their business, only to find her lying dead on the bed.
Samuel Mususwa, the chairperson of Mashaga Village, said Ofwono had a history of assaulting his wife, adding that he had repeatedly heard complaints about his abusive behaviour
based violence in homes.
Rose Awijo, the deceased’s mother, said her daughter had often reported to the family about being mistreated by her husband.
Awijo said the family had previously advised Athieno to leave the marriage because of her husband’s behaviour, but she declined, citing her religious beliefs, which she said did not permit her to abandon her marriage. Awijo said the family was devastated by the news of Athieno's death.
Residents described Ofwono as a violent man, noting that he frequently quarrelled and fought with other people, including his colleagues in the bodaboda business.
Apero further alleged that disagreements over a house Athieno was reportedly constructing in the area could have contributed to the tensions in the marriage.
Okumu said police tracked down and arrested Ofwono in Idudi, as he was reportedly heading to Tororo.