Six handed heavy sentences for murder of Lira woman

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LIRA - The High Court in Lira has convicted six men for the gruesome murder of 62-year-old Hellen Akot, who was hacked to death in her home in Abei village, Atule Parish, Chawente sub-county, Kwania District.

One of the accused, however, was acquitted for lack of evidence.

Delivering his verdict, Justice Lawrence Tweyanze declared: “I find credible evidence placing all the accused persons at the scene of the crime except Ambrose Odur. Therefore, in agreement with the opinion of the assessors, I find that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the offence of murder against Peter Opio, Tony Odur, Churchill Alunga, Tom Owiny, Nixon Otile, and Denis Ogwang.



They are therefore convicted. For the accused number seven, Ambrose Odur. I find there is no sufficient evidence to pin him to the commission of murder. He is therefore acquitted and should be set free unless being held for other lawful means.”

Jacob Ogwal of Amolatar was sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder. (Credit: Hudson Apunyo)

The prosecution urged the court to impose the harshest sentence, calling the crime grave, rampant, and brutal.

The defence pleaded for leniency, saying the convicts had no previous criminal records and were the breadwinners of their families. Among them are elderly men: Opio, 75, Odur, 60, and Otile, 55. The others, the lawyer argued, were young with the potential to reform.

But Akot’s son, Alex Otuk, 35, spoke bitterly in court: “If my uncles can kill their own sister, even my life is in danger.” He suggested a 50-year sentence for the convicts.

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Tweyanze said, "Murder is a serious offence that attracts a death sentence. It is rampant in this region and needs to be deterred, and this can only be done by giving deterrent sentences.”

He noted that Akot was killed on mere allegations of witchcraft, a baseless accusation that has cost many lives. “Peter Odur is an elder and a retired Prison officer who should have known that life is important and should be protected at all levels, but he was at the forefront of orchestrating that. Odur is a local leader who should be gathering people for developmental projects, but instead, he gathered them to commit this serious crime. The society has to be protected from such ruthless acts of irresponsible people,” Justice Tweyanze stressed, adding that age was no excuse.

Accordingly, he sentenced Opio and Odur to 35 years each, reduced to 31 years, 11 months and one day after deducting remand time. Alunga, Owiny, Otile, and Ogwang were each given 30 years, reduced to 26 years, 11 months and one day.