Africa-Press – Uganda. A leader of a village savings group in Lira District has reportedly committed suicide after failing to refund members money that he misappropriated.
The body of Patrick Oming, 37, a treasurer of Neno Abor Village Savings Group in Awiodyek Sub-county, was on Sunday morning found hanging from a tree about two kilometres from his home in the sub-county.
Since January 2021, 40 members of Neno Abor Village Savings Group had saved Shs10.3 million and the money was to be shared on December 19.
The members’ savings was reportedly kept in a metallic box in the custody of the deceased.
However, when the members asked Oming to produce the money so that it could be shared among them, he went into hiding.
Mr Tonny Okwir, the chairperson of the savings group, said he called the deceased last Saturday at around 5:46pm.
“His wife was the one who answered the call and decided to make me talk to her brother-in-law (the deceased’s brother), who told me Oming was nowhere to be seen,” Mr Okwir said on Monday.
“So, we later started searching for him, only to find his body hanging on a tree in one of his gardens, about two kilometres away from his home,” Mr Okwir added.
The deceased’s 12-year-old son said he saw him picking a rope and putting it in his pocket before he disappeared early in the morning .
The widow, Jolly Alum, was reportedly still asleep when her husband left home.
After a search by relatives, members of the savings group and local leaders, his body was found hanging from a tree at Ayeamwonyi Village in Amokogee Parish.
Mr Okwir said: “Whenever we had a meeting, he never indicated the money was lost. Instead he would assure us that the money was safe. So, yesterday (Sunday), when her family members started asking the widow about the missing money, the woman said she knew nothing about it.”
Upon searching the house of Oming thoroughly, the widow recovered only Shs600,000 from a pocket of one of his trousers.
The Lira City police commander, Mr Godfrey Abigaba, said investigation into the matter have commenced.
The deceased is survived by a widow and three children.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
