UGANDA: STRANGE STORY ABOUT AMURU DISTRICT VETERINARY OFFICER NIGHT KILLING

AOL community is mourning the passing on of their son, Dr. Ochora Michael who was killed January 26, 2024 under mysterious circumstance. The late Dr. Ochora was a son to Ben Okwarmoi from a family that hosted President Yoweri Museveni at Awere during his bush war.

GULU CITY-SATURDAY, January 27,2024

A big question is still being asked by Awere, Odek Lalogi (AOL) community living in Gulu and in the diaspora as to why a young man brimming with life and a district veterinary officer of Amuru would allegedly die of gunshot wounds sustained during operation to evict Balaalo cattle keepers from the district.

Dr. Ochora was in the middle of a very hard task to sign documents for retention or eviction of the Balaalo cattle keepers from Amuru District that hosts one of the largest numbers of Balaalo nomadic cattle keepers. The task is allegedly characterised by attempted bribes to enable Dr. Ochora sign documents to the effect the Balaalo cannot as yet move their cattle because the cattle are sick and should be quarantined within the district. This apparently was a trick to buy time for the Balaalo to stay on in the district despite an earlier executive order that the Balaalo should move if they have not fenced the land where their animals graze by last December. Dr. Ochora, a very devout Christian, had reportedly resisted all attempts to take bribes and his office stamp had mysteriously disappeared apparently with the aim of endorsing fraudulent documents.

Sources have intimated to Black Star News that Dr. Ochora was pulled from his home at night of January 26, 2024 to go and inspect cattle at Kololo in Amuru District, something that is irregular since public servants work from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The source could not tell what exactly happened but added that a lifeless body of Dr. Ochora, with both hands tied at his back, soiled dress and all signs of torture was ferried and hoisted into a vehicle and brought to a place where gun shots were heard.

The story that later unfolded from the Amuru Resident District Comissioner, Odong Latek was that a guard inadvertently left his gun cocked and it released bullets that hit his legs and passed on to hit Dr. Ochora in the back and killed him.

The father to the deceased, Ben Okwarmoi and Dr. Ochora’s moter were informed in the morning of the demise of his son after the body of Dr. Ochora was already in the morgue at UPDF 4^th Division headquarters in Gulu City. The duo were denied close inspection of the body of their son but they noticed the strange sign that indeed the deceased hands appeared tied to his back and his dress was abnormally soiled, apparently a sign he was roughed up and tortured.

Meanwhile the postmortem report seems to suggest the deceased had died of the gunshot wounds but that there was difficulty locating where the bullet exited from or where it got lodged into the body of the deceased. Sources that asked not to be named intimated to Black Star News that in fact, the deceased died of stab wounds that killed him and there was later on the drama to confuse the public that the veterinary officer died from an inadvertently fired bullet.

Uganda People’s Defense Forces UPDF, deputy spokesperson, Deo Akiiki and Amuru Resident District Commissioner, Odong Latek, January 27, 2024 both insist that indeed Dr. Ochora died of gunshot wounds inadvertently fired from a guard’s bullet.

Their story line was that in the course of driving back from the cattle holding ground, one of the soldiers who had not secured the safe, had a bullet released from his gun shooting the gun holder in the leg and continuing to penetrate the cabin to hit the District Veterinary Officer who was seated in the hind seat.

“The bullet hit him from the back and efforts to move him to the medical facility were futile. He breathed his last along the way,” the RDC was quoted to have stated.

Patrick Oola Lumumba, Gulu City Mayor, Layibi-Bardege Division dismisses the report from Odong Latek, Amuru RDC and from the army spokesperson as falsehood and a cover up.

“We are so sorry about the Amuru District Veterinary Officer, Dr. Ochora. “We are so suspicious about the exercises to evict Balaalo many of whom seem backed up by some UPDF soldiers and generals who hold the guns. “The generals who have acquired land forcefully are using the so-called Balaalo nomads just for their business. “We have heard of similar incidents that happened during Idi Amin’s regime in the 1970s that killed St. Janani Loum, in a framed up car accident,” he said.

Mike Lakony, the District Chairman of Amuru Local government when contacted by the Black Star News desk, January 26 said he had children to look after and would rather not comment about the incident but when pressed, he said the Amuru RDC, Odong Latek’s story line sounded inaccurate. He added that, “for me, I have been advising this young man, Dr. Ochora, to avoid going to an operation to enforce the Balaalo Executive Order eviction at night. “You know, when Balaalo entered Amuru District, it was him and RDC Odong Latek who had signed a movement order for those generals’ animals, and now, it is the DVO who is signing the eviction permits. He was handling generals who have the guns. “He should have not allowed the RDC Latek to use him,” Lakong decries.

Eng. Andrew Olal Obong, a member of the AOL community lamented, Oh no! This is unacceptable, why should we keep suffering in that way. So sad indeed.

Godwin Okello Puranga Primer Minister said it is very unfortunate Wod pa Okeya Ben Okwarmoi has passed on. Such a promising young man passed away too soon. “The news of the demise broke my heart this morning. “Such a tragic and unwarrantable incident is unbelievable and heartbreaking to the entire family and concerned citizens, rest with the angels, what a tragedy, a dark moment, a misfortune and setback to the great and mighty AOL.

Godwin Okello Puranga Primer Minister. very unfortunate WOD pa Okeya Ben Okwangamoi. I met Ochora Samuel while riding his bike on Wednesday around Gulu University main gate, very promising young man passed away too soon.

“The news of demise broke my heart this morning, such a tragic and unwarrantable incident is unbelievable and heartbreaking to the entire family and concerned citizens, rest with the angels, what a tragedy, a dark moment, a misfortunate and setback to this great and mighty AOL.”

Several members of AOL community, Betty Aber, Auma Lucy, Nyeko Ponsiano, Engineer Andrew Olal and Dr. Emilton Odong all expressed their shock and misgiving about the gunshot story line.

Eng. Odonga Terrence said,” this is highly regrettable! Terrible mistake. Is the account true? The DVO must be compensated fully by the government!