90 cows stolen as rival clans fight

LAMWO. At least 90 head of cattle and other unspecified property was looted at the weekend after one clan attacked another to avenge the death of their member in Padibe West Sub-county in Lamwo District.

Several solar panels, three bicycles, Shs1 million belonging to a saving groups and three goats were also stolen as Anyibi clan members attacked their counterparts from Palwo clan.

It is alleged that the attack came after a member of Palwo clan stoned 38-year-old Martine Ongom of Anyibi clan to death. Ongom was stoned by a woman on April 25 on allegations that he had been stealing her wine at a drinking joint.

The suspect was arrested and is detained at Lamwo Central Police Station.
Mr Martine Otto Ateng, the sub-county chairperson, said the attackers came in two groups, the first at 5am and another at 8am.

He said since then, many residents have fled into the bush for fear of being killed. “You can imagine the innocent people who have lost their belongings at the hands of the attackers. Some have been deprived of their livelihood since their livestock and other properties were taken,” Mr Ateng said. “We called police to intervene and they fired live bullets that dispersed the attackers, prompting them to abandon some items that they had looted,” he added.

Later, a meeting between the two clans was convened and Palwo clan members accepted to pay 10 head of cattle, three goats and unspecified amount money to Anyibi in compensation for the lost life.
Aswa regional police spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema condemned the act of revenge, adding that the locals should always embrace the courts of law than taking the law into their own hands.

Recent cases
In February, clashes erupted between Kanyigi-Ceng and Pagwok-Panyalweny clans over the death of a child. It was reported that the deceased, who was nine years old, succumbed to injuries that she sustained during a fight with two of her peers while at school in Kitgum District.

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