Family of 4 perishes in a house fire in Kaberemaido

By Godfrey Ojore

Four people of the same family perished in an inferno after arsonists torched their house in the night.

The dead included a one- year- old Evelyn Agwang, her two siblings and their father whose bodies were charred beyond recognition. Police recovered their bodies and have launched investigations into the incident.  

The nasty incident occurred in Olio Village, Abalang parish, Alwa Sub County in Kaberemaido district on Tuesday night.

 “We have opened investigations into the murder of this family members to enable us ascertain who torched their house,” Mid-Eastern police spokesperson Juma Hasan Nyene told New Vision at the scene.  

He identified the dead as Lydia Ijang, 10, Joseph Aguro, 8, Evelyn Agwang, 1, and their father Richard Okwaju, 43, a former Arrow boy. Hellen Aligoi a mother who was also in the house was rescued and rushed to Lira hospital in critical condition.

According to the postmortem report by Dr. Samuel Eminyeret, the four died due to suffocation contrary to reports that they were shot before the house was set on fire.

“If the neighbors had come early to their rescue, these people could have not died,” Dr. Eminyeret said adding that the house was congested with household items and charcoal.

Two boys between the ages of 14 and 12 survived the attack because they were sleeping in a separate house.

“I heard mummy scream in the middle of the night, so I woke up my elder brother to accompany me to check on her but when we got out we saw the house on fire,” Felix Etungu, a 12-year- old, a P.5 pupil of Alwa Primary school told New Vision.

Etungu explained that they saw a padlock on the door but fire was raging leaving them helpless but only to watch their parents burn to death.

“We cried but neighbors came in late and found mummy half conscious. Although I am told she is alive in the hospital but I highly doubt. May Gog have mercy on her,” Etungu said before breaking down in tears.

A similar incident occurred a few kilometers away from that place in which unknown people set a house onto fire but the occupants survived.

Albert Ejoku the district LC5 chairperson s who condemned the act, described it as barbaric.