13 arrested over murder of South Sudanese refugee

CRIME 

The Police in Terego district have arrested at least 13 people in connection with the murder of a South Sudanese refugee woman in Omugo refugee settlement.

Grace Jogoo was allegedly beaten and her property destroyed at her home in Ocia village in Omugo sub-county on Monday (January 4, 2021) after being suspected of poisoning 50-year-old Carolina Ombokuru of the same area.

Jogoo died at 4:00pm at Omugo Camp Health Centre IV, where she had been admitted.

The Arua refugee desk officer, Solomon Osakan, confirmed that Jogoo sustained serious injuries that led to her death.

The Police spokesperson for North Western region, Josephine Angucia, said the Police arrested 13 suspects, who are being detained at Omugo Police Station.

Angucia said calm has been restored following heavy deployment of Police.

Earlier incidents

In December 2019, four South Sudanese refugees were killed and 16 others sustained injuries in Adjumani district.

 Also in July 2019, the Police arrested 20 people involved in ethnic fighting in Palorinya refugee settlement, Obongi district that left many injured and hundreds of houses torched.

The fight started after maize was allegedly stolen from a farm.

Similarly, in September last year, violent clashes between locals and refugees at Tika village in Rhino refugee settlement left at least 10 refugees dead.

The violence followed an argument between South Sudanese refugees and the host community at a shared water point.

According to crime statistics at Arua Police Station, five cases of assault and manslaughter are reported in refugee camps every month between host communities and refugees.