UGANDA: AS DECEASED DR. SAMUEL OCHORA IS LAID TO REST, ACHOLI LEADERS DEMAND ARREST OF SUSPECTS LEFT AT LARGE

Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South MP, dared UPDF Generals to bring to book the three suspects involved in the alleged murder of Dr. Michael Ochora, Amuru DVO, as Stephen Odong Latek, RDC vows that nobody can touch him as he has massive support from the UPDF hierarchy.

GULU CITY-Monday, FEBRUARY 5, 2024  

Stephen Odong Latek must be brought to book along with the Deputy District Internal Security Officer (DISO) and, the District Police Commander (DPC) of Amuru as key suspects in the death of the former DVO of Amuru, Dr. Samuel Michael Ochora, said the Local Council V Chairman of Amuru, Michael Lakony.

The duo, DISO and DPC were reported to be in the vehicle where Dr. Ochora met his death while the RDC, Odong Latek rushed to announce that the late Dr. Ochora was accidentally killed by a stray bullet from a soldier who was in the same vehicle and in apparent cover up of the whole incident rushed the body of the deceased Dr. Ochora to a military morgue at Gulu. Meanwhile the duo of DISO and DPC who should be behind bars to help Police with investigations have been left Scot free.  The RDC boasts that nobody can touch him since he is militarily connected.

Lakony made his remarks, Saturday, February 3, 2024 at Alokolum Kirombe in Bardege-Layibi City Division during an emotional send-off of the deceased Dr. Ochora.

Similar sentiments were echoed by the Kilak South legislator, Gilbert Olanya who said the trio of DPC, DISO and RDC should leave Amuru District, and if the state is still interested in them, they should be deployed to other district(s). “They have accomplished their mission, and now they should leave,” Olanya said.

Mike Lakony, the District Chairman of Amuru moved the mourners on Saturday Feb. 3, 2024 when he revealed to that on January 22, he sat with the Dr. Ochora, the DVO to organized for the operation to evict the Balaalo from Lakang Sub County, and on January 24 the operation to evict the Balaalo was aborted because the driver of the late Dr. Michael Samuel parked the vehicle assigned to the DVO and disappeared.

Lakony said up to the burial time, no clear report has been given by the district authorities, including the Chief Administrative Officer as expected about the death of Dr. Ochora.

Lakony decried the reluctance to implement President Yoweri Museveni’s Executive Order NO.3 issued, June 2023 to evict the Balaalo from Northern Uganda. He said Achloland is being used as animal fattening area and after the animals have fattened, they are ferried to the city market and fresh emaciated ones are brought to the district to be fattened. He said it is deceptive to say there is eviction of Balaalo because that is precisely the game going on.

Meanwhile Eng. Oryem, who represented the family of the late Dr. Samuel Ochora rejected the post-mortem report as grossly inaccurate. He wondered how a bullet fired onto the deceased would exit from the same spot it entered the body as implied in the report.

“How can the government civil servant be taken to work at night in hard to reach areas?” the head of the family questioned. “We are now victims, tell us the truth, arrest the suspects and carry out thorough investigation, and finally as family we stand with the Acholi community that the RDC Odong Latek, The DPC and the Deputy DISO must leave the office,” he said.

“The murder of Dr. Samuel Ochora should stop with us, we don’t want to hear that other sons and daughters in Acholi Sub-region are killed because of the Balaalo.” he added.

Walter Nyeko, the area Local Council 1 Chairman of Alokolum Kirombe village where the deceased doctor was buried said, “If the killers of Dr. Ochora are not brought to book, the government should not expect votes in Kirombe village.”

UPDF Div. 4 Commander, Bridger Gen. Michael Kabango, re-echoed the narrative that he got the report that Dr. Samuel Ochora was killed by a friendly fire, but that that does not prevent investigations into the incident to go on.

Some mourners booed and others were heard responding to Brig. Kabango, “tell us what action you have taken.”

The 4^th UPDF Division Commander said for some reasons he was not competent to talk about; investigations were shifted from Amuru to the Regional Police offices in Gulu. He said other investigation teams are coming from Kampala, from Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and from the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) headquarters in Kampala. He said the soldier whose gun caused the accident will help in the investigation.

Gen. Charles Otema Awany, says as son of Acholi working with the government, he also has Acholi at heart. “The bereaved family I have come to mourn our son with you and I will be close to the family, I know this is a tragic death that robbed all of us. And we know the Acholi always investigates the causes of death. “I’m going to stand with the family,” he said.

“The government is going to appoint members of a committee coming from Acholi to handle the current Balaalo issues. “Let us wait.” Gen. Otema said.

Grace Freedom Kweyucwiny, State Minister for Northern Uganda in her response to the death of Dr. Ochora, revealed that on the faithful day when the incident happened she was out of Gulu City. However, one journalist called her and asked for comment about the demise of Dr. Ochora, but she could not do so since she did not have information to enable her to comment.

Minister Kweyucwiny said, the following day she inquired what had happened though the UPDF Gulu 4thDivision commander Bridger Gen. Kabango who informed her that Dr. Ochora was accidentally shot at the Kololo Police Post in Amuru.

Betty Aol Ocan, the Women MP for Gulu City, said, “I want to tell you, if you want this kind of killing in cold blood to stop, call all the MPs from Acholi Sub Region and all the District Chairman from the 8 districts so that we meet to discuss what can be done together, but otherwise you are the minister of the Balaalo” Betty Aol Ocan told off the minister.

President Museveni on Thursday, January 31, called Ben Okwamoi to enquire about what happened and later promised to make a follow up, sources close to Ben Okwamoi disclosed.