Parents kill school founder
Akello stands beside some of her property that was saved from the fire after parents killed her father and set some of the huts in the compound on fire on Thursday last week. Photo by Hudson ApUnyo.
What you need to know:
The allegations. According to information, the management of Wanglobo Primary School is alleged to have mobilised the mob that killed Keny, one of the school’s founders.
The founder of Wanglobo Primary School in Otwal Sub-county, Oyam District, Charles Keny was on Thursday killed by parents, who also set his body on fire.
The Headteacher, chairman Local Council one, chairman School Management Committee and that of Parents Teachers Association, have been accused of inciting the parents into mob action over land dispute.
Keny, a UPDF veteran and NRM mobiliser, founded the school. However it was taken over by the government when he joined the army.
But after retiring, he proposed that he be given part of the school’s land, a proposal, which some leaders protested.
This, according to reports, prompted Keny to seek court redress but he died before hearing the final ruling of the case due tomorrow [Tuesday].
The resolution
It is reported that some leaders had on Wednesday in a meeting resolved to mobilise against Keny, for they feared that the Oyam Magistrate Court would rule in his favour.
It is alleged that the school had asked pupils to report with their parents on Thursday who were then mobilised to attack Keny at his home.
According to residents, the parents attacked Keny and beat him to death after which his body was set ablaze. Several huts in his compound were also set ablaze.
The Daily Monitor understands that Keny was buried on Friday with more than 90 clan members converging on Saturday for a crisis meeting to discuss the matter.
Salume Akello, 16-year-old daughter of the deceased, told this newspaper that she had tried to save her father but was overpowered by the irate mob.
“My father was beaten and he began bleeding profusely. He tried to run but he was too weak. He fell and in the process his tormentors collected stems of sunflower, which they used to set him ablaze,” Akello, who sat her PLE in the same school last year, said.
Collaborated events
A resident who witnessed the events corroborated Akello’s story, saying the pupils stood and cheered on as the parents beat Keny to death.
When contacted, Mr Richard Tom Alel, the school’s headteacher, told this newspaper that Keny had destroyed a teacher’s cassava plantation which prompted the authorities to call a parents’ meeting.
However, he said after discussing the matter, the parents became rowdy and marched to Keny’s house, beating him to death and burning some of his properties.
The Oyam District Police Commander, Mr Najib Waiswa confirmed the killing of Keny and warned they were searching for all those involved in the destruction of property and the killing.
“We are on the look out for all those who participated in this heinous crime. We cannot accept people to take the law in their own hands,” he said.
According to Mr Waiswa, three people have so far been arrested to help the police with the investigations.
