Domestic violence tops list of offences in Lango

Lango Sub-region has registered 729 cases of assault in three months, topping the list of offences committed in the area. The police crime report for January to March 2021 released recently shows that domestic violence came second with 338 cases.

Mr James Ekaju, the North Kyoga outgoing police spokesperson, said they also registered 215 cases of threatening violence, 185 cases of criminal trespass and 125 cases of malicious damage to property during the same period.  

The sub-region is comprised of Lira, Kole, Oyam, Apac, Dokolo, Otuke, Amolatar, Alebtong and Kwania districts. 
Domestic violence and assault have also been among the causes of death  in the sub-region.  

In Apac, for instance, police are investigating the death of a 34-year-old man, who succumbed to injuries he sustained after he was allegedly assaulted at a drinking joint in Akokoro Sub-county last week.

Bonny Okello, a resident of Abongodero Village in Ayeolyec Parish, was allegedly beaten up by friends at Kwibale Trading Centre.

Witnesses said the deceased was hit with a bench on the forehead after he beat a three-year-old child, who was at the pub with his mother.

Mr Fred Otoo, the village chairperson, said the victim was taken to Akokoro Health Centre III for treatment but he escaped from the health facility on Friday. 

“We took him to a clinic at Awila Trading Centre but the following morning, I was told that Okello had died,” he said.
One person has been arrested to help with investigations as  police continues hunting for two prime suspects said to have fled the area. 

Ms Catherine Eunice Agwang, the officer-in-charge of criminal investigations in Apac, confirmed the development. 
“The matter is still under investigation, so I cannot discuss it much with the press but it is true we have one suspect in our custody,” she said on Sunday. 

In a related development, the Grade One Magistrate’s Court in Kwania District sentenced a 38-year-old to two years imprisonment for battering his wife. 

Court heard that Denis Acut, a resident of Te-Ilwa Village, Atongtidi Parish, Atongtidi Sub-county, beat up his wife. .
Prosecution said on January 25, 2019, Acut returned from a drinking joint and started demanding food but his wife told him it was not yet ready.

He then pounced on her until she was rescued by a good Samaritan who took her to Aduku Health Centre IV.
The Aduku Grade One Magistrate, Ms Molly Alice Adong,  also ordered Acut to pay a Shs500,000 fine as a medical bill to his wife after serving his jail term.

“This is to serve as a warning to men who are beating up their wives that the arm of the law will catch up with you if you chose violence to settle domestic  issues,” she ruled. 

Also, in Kwania, a woman and her two children were arrested following the death of her husband. The 48-year-old man was found dead in his house in April 15 after missing for three days.  

Mr Moses Opio, the chairperson of Gweri Village, said the deceased had a misunderstanding with his family over a cow which was sold without his knowledge.

“The deceased’s sons connived with their mother and sold a cow which was paid to the family as dowry. When  Adoli asked for the cow, his wife said they were going to use the proceeds to build a house,” Mr Opio said.  

“His children wanted to bury the body but I stopped them and reported the matter to police leading to their arrest,” he said.

Background 

Domestic violence is a big challenge in Lango Sub-region. According to data from police, at least 1,180 cases of domestic violence were registered in the region in a span of just eight months in 2020.  In 2019, the Police Annual Crime Report indicated that the North Kyoga region registered 808 cases of domestic violence.

However, efforts by the government and non-state actors to mitigate the vice have proved fruitless as many people continue to lose their lives to domestic violence.

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