Heavy deployment at funeral as slain cop is buried

Police officers carry the remians of Mr Chandwong for burial. PHOTOs BY TOBBIAS JOLLY OWINY

What you need to know:

  • It is not clear what time he was murdered, but his colleague who was away on a night duty returned to find Chandwong’s body lying dead on his bed the following morning, on August 1.
  • The late Chandwong, 59, was a year away from retirement according to the family. He is survived by a widow Ms Florence Akech and seven children.

Armed police officers and UPDF soldiers from 4th Division headquarters on Monday deployed heavily during the burial of Corporal Santos Chandwong at Omel-ogwari village in Paicho Sub County, Gulu District.

The deployment followed a tip off to police that family members of the deceased had planned to beat up police officers who escorted the body for burial, should their explanation of cause of death fail to satisfy them.

Chandwong was on July 31 attacked and murdered by unknown assailants at Ayivuni Police Post in Arua District where he was serving as the officer in charge.

He was hacked several times in the head and died, three weeks after he had been deployed in the area according to authorities. His gun (AK47) and 50 rounds of ammunition were taken while a police motorcycle and his phones were left in the house.

The arrival of a police patrol car filled with armed soldiers and police officers at the burial ground did not stop the angry mourners from hurling insults at the West Nile regional police commander, Mr Christopher Barugahare and his officers.

Armed police officers and soldiers patrolled everywhere during the burial.

At exactly 3.41p.m., drama ensued when the relatives rejected the remains of Chandwong and ordered the clergy to stop the prayers from continuing.

They claimed that they could not welcome or bury his remains without knowing the cause of his death and the fate of his bereaved family.

Mr Joseph Ocen, chairman of Pudyek clan which the deceased belonged to, asked Mr Barugahare to leave the home with the dead body if he did not satisfactorily explain how the deceased was killed.

“He was brought untreated and we treated his body ourselves, police never explained to us exactly how he died and they made us foot every bill, including building the grave and clothing the dead body,” Mr Ocen said.

This halted the burial process for about one hour and a half, and forced police to withdraw behind a tent to agree on what explanation should be given to the family.

Prayers and the burial processes resumed after Mr Barugahare came forward and told mourners that the deceased was killed in his house by unknown people and that police would take responsibility.

“We all regret and feel aggrieved for the loss of our colleague Chandwong. He was murdered on duty and we are not going to rest unless the killers are arrested and brought to book,” Mr Barugare said.

It is not clear what time he was murdered, but his colleague who was away on a night duty returned to find Chandwong’s body lying dead on his bed the following morning, on August 1.

The late Chandwong, 59, was a year away from retirement according to the family. He is survived by a widow Ms Florence Akech and seven children.