Africa-Press – Uganda. Last week, three children in Kumi District were allegedly poisoned under unclear circumstances. Mbale City Mortuary surgeon Dr Barnabas Rubanza confirmed that John Okodosi, 9, Ignatius Agodo, 4, and Constant Olupot, 6, died of poison.
They are children of Mr Tom Omudu and Mary Evelyn Akia. Leaders and residents of Okudumo Village, Okudumo Parish, Mukongoro Sub-county in Kanyum County suspect that the trio was poisoned due to an alleged land wrangle.
Mr Julius Obakuli, the chairperson of Okudumo Parish, alleges that the wrangles between brothers over land allegedly sparked off the incident. Those at the peak of the land conflict included Mr Stanley Okware and his younger brother, Francis Okia of Ikomolo-Akile Clan. Mr Obakuli said Mr Okia and other relatives including his father James Opedun had entrusted their land transaction documents with Mr Okware for custody.
But Mr Okware, who is Mr Omudu’s neighbour, allegedly refused to release the documents to his younger sibling when he expressed interest in selling off his portion. Mr Okia allegedly got angry, as a result.
Things got worse in November 2022 when thieves allegedly broke into Mr Okware’s house and stole the land transaction documents and savings of Shs12 million in the custody of Mr Okware’s wife, who is now a key suspect in the poisoning of the deceased kids.
After the incident, the sniffer dog introduced to the scene led the police to Mr Omudu’s house, before it continued to Mr Okia’s house. Mr Obakuli said Mr Okware’s family accused Mr Omudu of conniving with their family member, Mr Okia, to steal the land documents and Shs12m. Mr Omudu and Mr Okia are friends and reside in the same village.
The neighbours contend that after the search in the presence of residents on the day the canine was brought in 2022, land transaction documents and a savings box were not recovered. However, the police arrested Mr Okia and Mr Omudu.
The duo was sent to court and remanded but were later released on bail. Ms Akia, the mother of the deceased children, said the key suspects in the poisoning of her three children have been threatening her family with death, which threats they made clear to the village chairperson.
“When the court released my husband, they continuously attacked and confronted me. They were determined to sweep away all my termites [children] to pay back their loss. I reported the matter to the area LC1, but I think he did not take it seriously until now. I have lost my children and the safety of my life is not certain,” she said.
The deceased children were interred next to each other last Friday. A total of 14 families belonging to the Ikomolo-Akile Clan and close relatives of the suspects who allegedly killed the children have been displaced by locals in revenge attacks. When our reporter visited the scene on Monday, the suspects’ homesteads and their close relatives were burnt down to ashes.
Police have since arrested Mr Okware and his father, Mr James Opedun, for safe custody as the key suspects remain at large. The families of Mr Okware, Mr Okia, Mr John Kokus Otiakori, Mr Joseph Ingenya, Mr Tom Aisu, Mr James Opedun and Mr Ezekiel Olupot are some of the affected.
The secretary of the LC court in Okudumo, Mr Julius Obakuli, said the affected families fled the village in fear for their lives. Mr Julius Isudo, the former LC II chairperson of Okudumo, said the Irarak Ilogir Clan, where Mr Omudu falls, will hold a meeting to demand compensation for the lost lives from members of Ikomolo-Akile Clan.
As of last week, the suspects’ family offered six acres of land for sale to cater for burial arrangements, with Mr Okware, who is in police custody, contributing four acres and his father contributing two acres. Rev Patrick Okaali, the clan leader of Irarak-Ilogir, denied responsibility for displacement.
He said the homesteads were torched by angry residents who gathered from different directions. On Monday, Mr Twaha Buyinza, the district police commander of Kumi, said the police are still investigating the matter. Mr Ahamada Washaki, resident district commissioner of Kumi, said security is tracking the suspects.
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