Brutal killing exposes scourge of domestic violence in Lango

The brutal killing of a 48-year-old woman in Oyam District on January 11 has brought to the fore the growing scourge of domestic violence in Lango Sub-region.

Anna Akao, a mother of six, was allegedly hacked to death by her husband, Wilbert Olwa, in Apany “B” Village, Acaba sub-county.

According to the village chairperson, Mr Robert Alele, the incident happened after the victim refused to give her 66-year-old husband greenlight to wed another woman.

After committing the offence, the man also committed suicide by hanging.

It is reported that Olwa had three wives: Hilder Acan, Caroline Ayugi, and Akao, having inherited the latter two from his two late brothers.

Olwa produced six children with Akao and four with Ayugi. Akao had earlier produced two children with Olwa’s late brother, who died several years ago.

Mr Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, said in October, Olwa opted to wed his first wife, Hilder Acan. However, the proposal did not go down well with the two inherited wives, resulting in serious fights.

On January 11, at around 6 am, the man is alleged to have followed Akao, who had gone to cut spear grass for thatching a house, and hacked her with a machete several times on the head, killing her instantly.

“He (Olwa) later fled the scene and committed suicide by hanging himself on a mango tree, about 500 metres from the home of the woman he wanted to wed,” Mr Okema said.

Concern

Akao’s story highlights a shockingly common but overlooked cause of death among married couples in the Lango Sub-region.

Every year, dozens of suicide cases reported to authorities in the sub-region are linked to domestic violence.

Human rights activists and social workers suggest that many people who find themselves in such abusive relationships persist because of cultural factors. “They pretend to be in a happy relationship simply because they want to please society, friends and family,” Mr Daphne Egwar, a lawyer, said.

Due to accumulated stress brought about by domestic violence, many resort now to taking their lives, usually under the influence of alcohol, according to police.

Police in Lira City are yet to conclude investigations into a suspected suicide of a 49-year-old resident of Jinja Camp in Lira City West Division in November.

It is alleged the deceased, Moses Nyanga, returned home on November 13 while drunk.

However, a few hours later, he moved out again but never came back.

This prompted his wife, Ms Jennifer Acio, to follow him only to discover his body dangling on a mango tree in their compound.  “It was established that the deceased had longstanding domestic problems with his wife. He is suspected to have gathered the courage to commit suicide under influence of alcohol,” Mr Okema said.

At least 338 cases of domestic violence were recorded in Lango Sub-region between January and March 2021, according to a police crime report.

At the time, domestic violence was the second leading crime committed in the sub-region’s nine districts of Lira, Kole, Oyam, Apac, Kwania, Dokolo, Alebtong, Amolatar and Otuke.

Police data shows that 14 people lost their lives in separate murder incidents as a result of domestic violence in Lango in a span of four months in 2021.

Growing trend

In May last year, six murder cases as a result of domestic violence were recorded in the sub-region, while in 2020, about 1,100 domestic violence cases were registered within a period of eight months.

In May last year, a 17-year-old girl committed suicide in Aputi Sub-county, Amolatar District, after her father allegedly spanked her for returning home late.

“These cases [of suicide] are on a rise and we appeal to couples to always seek help from their parents, friends, religious leaders, clan leaders or even at workplaces for counseling and guidance,” Mr Okema said.

Mr Simon Peter Odongo, a journalist in Lira City, said: “When a couple is in an abusive relationship, the most affected person always gets depressed. Such people need immediate medical attention and serious counselling but always they’re left unattended to, thus prompting them to commit suicide.”

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.

In Kole, however, local authorities are generating a lot of revenue from domestic violence victims. Many women in Kole who find themselves in abusive relationships have resorted to deserting their marriages.

In fact, hundreds have already been issued with separation cards by the local authorities.

In Akalo Sub-county, for instance, a separation card is issued after a client agrees to pay Shs100,000, according to the former sub-county chairperson, Mr John Oculi.

“On average, my sub-county used to issue one separation card in a month and we were treating separation as a source of local revenue,” Mr Oculi said.

He adds: “However, it’s not rampant because we always advise them (parties) that separation is bad; it makes innocent children suffer.”

But to many, the separation card is equivalent to a divorce certificate, which is only granted by a competent court of law

To address this, the Lango cultural institution in November announced that they would start a door-to-door campaign against domestic violence. 

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