Police is investigating circumstances under which two murder suspects died mysterious custody.
One of the suspects allegedly committed suicide inside Bukedea Police cells while another died during a search with the Police.
The duo was in trouble for the murder of Francis Opolot which occurred on Christmas in Akunyuko Village in Kachumbala Sub County in Bukedea district.
They have been identified as Joseph Okwalinga alias Golola who died mysteriously after fainting during a search at Akunyuko village where Opolot was killed, and Michael Ojakol who was found hanging in the cells at Bukedea Central Police Station.
According to Oscar Gregory Ageca the East Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson, Okwalinga was with the Police when he fainted while conducting a search to recover exhibits at Akunyuko village.
The officers attempted to resuscitate Okwalinga in vain. He was later pronounced dead on arrival at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital where he was rushed for medical attention.
Ageca explains that the two incidents occurred simultaneously around lunch hours on Saturday. The two suspects were among the seven suspects arrested by officers of the Uganda police in the murder of Opolot over an alleged land-related wrangle.
“The Uganda Police Force has opened up inquiries into the two matters of suicide and sudden death respectively. This has entailed a postmortem for Okwalinga Joseph alias Golola, to be carried at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital and a death inquest that was carried out this 02/01/2022 by the Magistrate of the judicial jurisdiction here referred”, says Ageca in his press release.
“We also want to allay fears and insinuations of foul play such as that the suspects were shot, poisoned etc as the matter has been professionally handled by our officers, who investigated the murder in a logical sequence which enabled the arrest of suspects and have admirably and professionally handled the deaths of the suspects as noted above” he added.
The other suspects in the murder are Justine Ekuma, James Olupot, Samuel Opolot, Peter Ekuma and Paul Angura. They are all in custody.
