Man sentenced to 45 years in prison for killing workmate
LIRA- A 54-year-old man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after being found guilty of killing his workmate in Lira District in 2015.
The High Court in Lira presided over by Justice Alex Mackay Ajiji, found Jackson Ochan guilty of murdering his administrator, Sylia Osinya.
Court heard on Monday that the victim’s body was dumped in a maize garden behind the home where she was residing with the convict.
She went missing from her workplace at Ireda Lumumba, Central Division in Lira Municipality for two weeks.
The deceased was employed as an administrator at Fresh Horizon Ltd, a produce-buying company based in northern Uganda.
A post-mortem report presented in court by Lira Resident State Attorney, Ms Gloria Akello, indicated the deceased died of asphyxia following ligature strangulation.
Prosecution told court that after a thorough search and investigation by police, a flat iron cable wire that was used in strangling the Osinya was recovered at the convict’s home.
Ms Jane Ajok, a witness, told court that the convict threatened to deal with her if she dared to reveal to anybody the crime he committed.
“He forced me to leak the deceased’s blood that had spilled on the floor. The deceased’s body was then pulled and kept in my friend’s room and was later dumped at a scene where it was recovered,” the witness said in a statement read in court.
Prosecution asked to court to hand the convict a long jail sentence because he is a gruesome murder.
“The court should protect the society by not only passing a sentence that is deterrent to others but also to avoid the convict from circulating in the society,” Ms Akello,
The convict, however, pleaded for leniency.
Justice Aiji also agreed with the submission of the prosecution.
“I had the opportunity to look through all the evidence provided in court. The death of the deceased was carefully planned and executed. The convict of this kind should be put away from the society for a long time,” Justice Aiji ruled. “I therefore, sentence you to 45 years imprisonment, including the three years you [convict] spent on remand.”
