Street kids arrested over murder of 5-yr-old girl

By Jackson Kitara and Kevin Aloyo

POLICE in Gulu district has arrested three street kids in connection with the death of a five-year-old girl whose body was discovered along the Pece Stream in Gulu.

Scovia Lakareber, the daughter of Kevina Adokorach and Patrick Acaye residents of Kanyagoga A sub ward in Bar Dege division, was found lifeless at the stream behind UNIFAT Primary School on Tuesday at around 2pm.

The Aswa Regional police spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema said police arrested and detained the street kids in connection to Lakareber’s death.

“We detained the three juvenile suspects with hope that they can help us find the person who killed Lakareber since one of them was reportedly sighted with the deceased according to the child who was walking with the deceased before she was murdered,” Okema said.

Okema added that the witness said the deceased complained of hunger and decided to go back home at around midday, but was later seen with walking hand-in-hand towards the stream with the two boys.

He added that when police visited the scene, they found the deceased lying naked and suspect she might have been sexually assaulted.

Okema said police took the body to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital for a postmortem.

According to a report police got from Lakareber’s parents, she left home in the morning to watch rehearsals for the 53rd Independence celebrations at Kaunda Grounds together with her siblings.

Okema advised parents to desist from allowing their children to move alone or leave their children to stay alone at home.

He cited an example of an incident last week where a child was stolen from her 6-year-old minder by unknown assailants.

He added that people should report cases to police in time to allow swift investigations.