Lira security guard shot himself - Police

Police in Lira City have confirmed that a private security guard who was found dead on Friday morning at a premise he was deployed to guard committed suicide by shooting himself with his gun.

David Ogole, 27, a security guard working with Pyramid Security Group (PSG), turned a gun on himself on Thursday following a misunderstanding with his wife.

His lifeless body was found at Apwoyo Distributors Limited, Bala Road, where he was deployed to guard on the fateful night.

Police first suspected he was murdered since he had a wound to his neck.

But after analyzing video recordings of two CCTV cameras located in front of the shop, where the deceased’s body was found, police have now confirmed that he committed suicide by shooting himself with his gun in the neck.

The deceased's supervisor, Mr Charles Ojok, who was the first to reach the scene, was arrested on Friday afternoon for allegedly tampering with the scene.

The suspect detained at Lira City Central Police Station is alleged to have removed the gun from the scene before reporting a murder case to the police.

ASP Patrick Jimmy Okema, the North Kyoga regional police spokesperson, confirmed the suspect faces charges of tampering with the crime scene, stealing an exhibit, and giving a false report to police.  

“During our investigations, we viewed the CCTV camera at Apwoyo Distributors Ltd. It showed the deceased took his life in suicide," ASP Okema told this publication.

"The firearm used by the deceased was picked up from the crime scene by Ojok, the deceased's supervisor, and hid in their office before reporting a suspected murder,” he added.

He said the gun had been recovered, adding that more investigations were ongoing to establish why the security guard ended his life.

According to Ms Sandra Lagulu, a security guard working with the same company said on Thursday, she handed over duty to Ogole at around 6 pm. "As usual, I went home but the deceased who appeared drunk on duty for the first time told me that he was stressed because of some family issues," she said.

“He told me that he was not happy with his wife because she had damaged his motorcycle which he used for boda boda business during the day to earn extra income. When I insisted that he should confide in me and share with me everything, he promised to tell me what hurts him today (Friday, May 19). But when I came for duty I found him dead and I am very shocked,” Ms Lagulu told Daily Monitor.

Ms Lagulu said she was transferred from Gulu four days ago and deployed to guard Apwonyo Distributors Ltd. She and the deceased had been working in shifts.

“I work during the day whereas my dead colleague worked at night. Today was supposed to be my fifth day working with him since I am still new in Lira but when I came this morning I found him dead,” Ms Lagulu said.

Mr Bonny Ochol, a boda boda rider, and the deceased's friend, said before his death, Ogole told him that he was stressed because his wife got pregnant with another man and returned to him.

He said that Ogole’s wife with whom they had stayed for about one year moved back to their home in Apac District where she got pregnant with another man.

“Ogole who was now having a new girlfriend told me that his former wife was stressing him a lot because, after their separation, she got pregnant with another man. She went back and started forcing herself on him despite the fact he was not responsible for the pregnancy,” Mr Ochol said.

Mr Lawrence Egole, Lira Resident City Commissioner, who is also the chairperson of the City Security Committee, said the security guard could have committed suicide because he might have had some family problems with his wife.

 Mr Egole said, "It appears that he appeared drunk on duty, which used not to be the case, and he appeared sad and stressed, wishing to convey some disgruntlement he had about family issues. Unfortunately, he was found dead this morning."