Akena killing: Family still hopes for justice

It was a sombre mood as Acholi leaders and family members held the first memorial lecture in honour of the late Kenneth Watmon Akena, a child rights’ activist, who was controversially killed two years ago.
Akena was allegedly shot at by businessman Mathew Kanyamunyu and girlfriend Cynthia Munwangari in Lugogo, Kampala, on November 12, 2016.

The duo are on trial and Kanyamunyu’s elder brother Joseph Kanyamunyu is charged with being an accessory to the murder.
Judiciary is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the murder case.
The memorial lecture in Gulu Town on Friday was organised by the Akena Foundation. The foundation was started by family members to sensitise the public on dangers of violence.

Democratic Party President Norbert Mao called for the cleaning up of the criminal justice system in the country.
He said the delay in prosecution of cases raises suspicion among the populace.
“The same way they respond to protests downtown Kampala, is how they should make haste to prosecute late Akena’s case and these other gruesome murders. We are fed up of reports that the matter is still under investigations, the matter will be handled,” Mr Mao remarked.
“While there have been attempts right from the day of that tragic murder to cover up and distort the truth about the murder, for now, all eyes are on the police and judicial system. Akena’s death if not handled with care, can let out a fearsome gene whose confinement would never be possible,” he said.

The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), however, told the media in a press statement last week that they are waiting for the Judiciary to fix a date for the hearing of the murder case against Kanyamunyu.

The DPP deputy spokesperson, Ms Irene Nakimbugwe, said the file is in their custody. The judiciary senior spokesperson, Mr Solomon Muyita, told Daily Monitor that Akena’s case might come up for hearing early next year.
He attributed the delay to high case backlog.

Mr Mao also recalled the murder of Peter Oloya, aka Yumbe, who was allegedly killed from Gulu Central Prisons in 2002 by a contingent of UPDF soldiers from UPDF 4th Division when they raided the prison.
“It is now 16 years since Oloya was murdered but to date, Oloya’s family is being tossed around by the office of the Attorney General while their demand for the court award is subjected to bureaucratic Ping-Pong,” he said.
Mr Mao tabled a five-point recommendation to government, urging it to help bring down the high level of gun violence and murders in the country.

Unregistered guns
“We also need strong punishments, I am proposing that illegal possession of firearms should attract 20 year sentence, government need to protect our borders from neighbours who roam around with guns to avoid fluking of arms and also have a clear database and control mechanism over paramilitary forces,” he said.

The Gulu District LC5 chairperson, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, decried the many unregistered guns in the hands of civilians.
Explaining why they opened up the foundation, Akena’s elder brother Jordan Ocakacon said: “We are giving psychosocial support to the families that have been victims of gun violence.”