Man commits suicide after hacking colleague in bar brawl

A 39-year-old man has reportedly committed suicide following a bar brawl in Omwa village in Lokung East Sub-county in Lamwo District. 

The lifeless body of Magok Ochieng was found hanging from a tree branch on Wednesday morning, seven kilometres from his home.  

He had reportedly gone into hiding on Tuesday night after hacking his colleague identified as Geoffrey Okot in a brawl at a drinking joint.

Jonathan Okello, a resident of Omwa village told said that trouble ensued on Tuesday night when the deceased picked a fight with his wife at a local bar where they had been drinking alcohol.

According to Okello, Okot tried to stop the fight but the deceased retaliated with an axe cutting him several times.

He says Ochieng fled from the area thinking he had killed Okot. He says when residents started searching for him; they found his lifeless body hanging from a tree branch the following morning. 

Lamwo District Police Commander, Moses Eliau Osega confirmed the incident saying the Scene of Crime Officers visited the area to conduct investigations into what could have exactly happened.

“The information we have is that the deceased thought the person he had hacked would die, so he went into hiding, so all along we have been hunting for him, but it’s unfortunate that he was found dead,” he said.

Mr Osega said that Okot sustained serious injuries but is in stable condition at Lokung Health Centre III.

Heavy consumption of alcohol has been largely blamed for several cases of domestic violence and suicides in Acholi Sub region.

Over the weekend, Hillary Onek, the Lamwo Member of Parliament also the Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees called for enactment of bylaws in all the districts of Acholi Sub-region regulating the consumption of alcohol.