Police deny killing Bukedea suspects
The police and other residents peep into the police cells where Ojakol allegedly committed suicide in Bukedea.
The Police in the eastern district of Bukedea have denied foul play in the mysterious death of two suspects in the hands of the law enforcers.
One suspect; Joseph Okwalinga alias Golola allegedly committed suicide inside Bukedea Police cells while another, Michael Ojakol, collapsed during a police search at his home and later died.
The two were the prime suspects in the murder of Francis Opolot that occurred on Christmas day in Akunyuko village, Kachumbala sub-county in Bukedea district.
Ojakol was reportedly found hanging in the police cells while Okwalinga allegedly fainted and died during a search at Akunyuko village where Opolot was killed.
Ojakol is a brother to Opolot who was hacked to death at his home on December 25, 2021, over a land wrangle.
“We 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,” said Oscar Gregory Ageca, the East Kyoga Regional Police spokesman.
Ageca further said that attempts to resuscitate Okwalinga were futile, as he was pronounced dead on arrival at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital where he was rushed for medical attention.
Ageca says that the two incidents occurred simultaneously around lunch hours on New Year’s day. The two deceased suspects were part of a group of seven suspects who were arrested in connection to Opolot’s murder.
“The Uganda Police Force has opened up inquiries into the two matters of suicide and sudden death. 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,” Ageca added.
Other suspects in police custody are; Justine Ekuma, James Olupot, Samuel Opolot, Peter Ekuma and Paul Angura.
