UPDF soldier sentenced to life for murder
Dec 15, 2008
A UPDF soldier was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment by the Gulu High Court for murdering a couple. State prosecutor Emmanuel Muwonge told the court that Private Richard Odoch of Opit army detachment in Lakwana subcounty in Gulu district shot dead Benson Okot and his wife Santina Lawino on Au
By Chris Ocowun
A UPDF soldier was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment by the Gulu High Court for murdering a couple. State prosecutor Emmanuel Muwonge told the court that Private Richard Odoch of Opit army detachment in Lakwana subcounty in Gulu district shot dead Benson Okot and his wife Santina Lawino on August 11, 2007.
The couple was gunned down at their home at Abim Mwoda village after they had just returned from selling tobacco in Lira town. Muwonge said Odoch raided the couple’s home at about 2:00am, robbed them of money and shot the duo before their seven children.
Justice Ruby Opio Aweri said the children would take long to recover from the trauma of seeing their parents murdered in cold blood. Aweri also called for the arrest of Richard Okello, a former employee of Gulu University, alleged to have defiled a 12-year old pupil of Labour Line Primary School.
Okello, who was remanded to Gulu Prison in November last year, was bailed out. However, his failure to report to the High Court on December 11 prompted Aweri to issue the warrant of arrest.
A UPDF soldier was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment by the Gulu High Court for murdering a couple. State prosecutor Emmanuel Muwonge told the court that Private Richard Odoch of Opit army detachment in Lakwana subcounty in Gulu district shot dead Benson Okot and his wife Santina Lawino on August 11, 2007.
The couple was gunned down at their home at Abim Mwoda village after they had just returned from selling tobacco in Lira town. Muwonge said Odoch raided the couple’s home at about 2:00am, robbed them of money and shot the duo before their seven children.
Justice Ruby Opio Aweri said the children would take long to recover from the trauma of seeing their parents murdered in cold blood. Aweri also called for the arrest of Richard Okello, a former employee of Gulu University, alleged to have defiled a 12-year old pupil of Labour Line Primary School.
Okello, who was remanded to Gulu Prison in November last year, was bailed out. However, his failure to report to the High Court on December 11 prompted Aweri to issue the warrant of arrest.