Nine dead as violence rises during lockdown

Authorities across the country have registered several cases of domestic violence in the past two weeks in what some attribute to the lockdown brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A mini-survey across the country on Monday showed that some women, especially those in abusive relationships, have no escape from their abusers during quarantine.

In Alebtong District, in northern Uganda, at least seven suspected domestic killings have been registered within a span of two weeks. Police say they are investigating the cases.

The North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, Mr Michael Odongo, told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that one of the victims, Florence Akoli, committed suicide by taking pesticides on April 7, following a domestic brawl in Alebtong.

Mr Odongo said Middy Adong also died after she was cut with a machete by her husband over food in Abako Sub-county on April 9.

Police say at least nine people have been arrested to aid investigation in this particular case.

The other case involved a 47-year-old woman, who was hacked to death by unknown people on April 16.
Ms Evelyn Adite, a resident of Adagani Village in Aloi Sub-county, was reportedly killed after being attacked near her home at around 8pm.

The victim, who was returning from a nearby shop, was cut three times on the head using an axe.

The officer-in-charge of Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department at Alebtong Central Police Station, Mr JP Owino, confirmed the case.

Police havedetained 17 suspects at Alebtong Central Police Station as investigations continue, Mr Owino said.

Mr Owino attributed the increasing murder cases in Alebtong to land wrangles and domestic violence.

He urged people to be law-abiding and report all cases to authorities for better management rather than taking the law into their own hands.

Other deaths
According to Section 189 of the Penal Code Act Cap 120, any person convicted of murder shall be sentenced to death.

In Oyam District, a 34-year-old woman committed suicide by hanging on April 9 over after a domestic brawl.

The deceased was identified as Eunice Otim, a resident of Amwa Bung ‘B’ Village in Kamdini Sub-county.

Her body was discovered on a tree near her home on the fateful day.

The deceased, who left behind five children, reportedly had a disagreement with her husband, Mr Amos Otim, on April 8.

Mr Sam Ogwang Alunyu, the Kamdini Sub-county chairperson, said hundreds of residents who witnessed the incident, were shocked.

“Married couples should learn to resolve family issues amicably so that they don’t subject children to psychological torture,” he said.

The Oyam District Police Commander, Mr Victor Saasi Kule, confirmed the incident.
He said police were facing a big challenge in their investigation because the crimescene was tampered with.

In Masaka, Mr Muhammad Nsubuga, the Southern regional police spokesperson, attributed the increasing domestic cases to too many demands made by women yet their husbands cannot fulfil some of them since they are no longer working.

“There has been a reduction in other forms of crimes in the region, but we are overwhelmed by cases of domestic violence which have so far led to two deaths in a space of one week,” he said.

Last week, a 33-year-old man was found dead in his room at Kayondo Plaza in Masaka Town.

The deceased, identified as Adriane Mujuni, was a businessman in Kampala, according to police.
One of the neighbours to the deceased said Mujuni was staying with his girlfriend, but the couple developed misunderstandings.

“They have been quarrelling all the time and we would hear them fighting on a daily basis. The girlfriend fled the house and she has been the one looking after the man,” the neighbour, who preferred anonymity, said.

Mr Vincent Sunday, the community liaison officer in the southern region, said they learnt about the incident through a neighbour.

“One of the neighbours came to us after realising that the deceased’s room was locked from inside and they had not seen him for a couple of days. They tried to knock at the door but there was no response,” Mr Sunday said.

He added: “We moved in and broke into the room only to find the body hanging with an extension wire cable tied around his neck.”

Mr Sunday said the girlfriend had earlier filed a case at Masaka Central Police, accusing her lover of domestic violence and infidelity.

In Mbarara, Mr Asuman Kihogo, the Rwebikona Village chairperson, has received five cases of domestic violence since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi regional police spokesperson, said their child and family protection unit is working with local leaders to ensure harmony in families.

“We are investigating one murder incident related to domestic violence which took place in Ibanda last week,” he said.

In Acholi Sub-region, Ms Pamela Angwech, the executive director of Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalisation, and NGO, said since the lockdown, they have been registeringmore than five domestic violence-related cases on a daily basis.

“Before the lockdown, we could mediate about three to five cases of domestic violence in the whole week. Right now we are registering five cases daily and more than 50 in the whole week.
This is dangerous for us the stakeholders in the fight against the vice,” Ms Angwech said.

The Aswa River police spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema, told Daily Monitor on Monday that police are facing a big challenge in the fight against domestic violence.

“There is need for a collective effort to scale down this vice,” he said.

Mr Martin David Aliker, an opinion leader, said the lockdown caught many people in the informal sector off guard, without any savings.

In Bundibugyo District, few cases of domestic violence are reported to elders and or Local Council leaders to sort out.

Ms Cissy Logose, the head of Child Protection Unit in Bundibugyo, said her office recorded 45 cases of domestic violence two weeks before the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

“We also recorded 15 cases related to child neglect and domestic violence during the lockdown,” she said.

The officer-in-charge of Child and Family Protection Unit at Kabale Police Station, AIP Margret Kamiranga, said cases of domestic violence increased after the national lockdown was announced.

Some positives
In Lira, local leaders say they have seen increase in food production in Agweng Sub-county because of increased labour force.
Mr Marino Ogang, the Agweng Sub-county chairperson, said boda boda operators, have now gone back to their villages to concentrate on farming.
“The current lockdown of stay home, stay safe, has brought family members together and provided enough manpower for food production,” Mr Ogang said.
“Men had started staying away from home thinking that a woman’s problem is only money, but now I see even other core responsibility that they had forgotten is now being fulfilled,” Ms Milly Akello, the Alebtong former district councillor, said.
Social workers say the lockdown has made most men think about rekindling relationships.
“Everyone knows that most men are so busy. They never have time for their families leave alone their wives. After work, a greater percentage would prefer hanging out with friends at night clubs, or rather go to watch football,” a social worker, Ms Victoria Harriet Anyango, says.
“... Forget the cheating bit of it because now they don’t have excuses of business trips and the rest,” she added.

Compiled byBill Oketch, Malik Fahad Jjingo, Felix Basiime, Santo Ojok, Polycap Kalokwera, Charity Akullo, Robert Muhereza &Alfred Tumushabe