Bukedea by-election: 5 police officers charged with murder, aggravated robbery 

Five police officers from Bukedea Central police station have been remanded to Soroti prison until July 26 after being charged with murder, aggravated robbery, and aggravated torture.

They include D/ASP Alex Ehguloiti, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Bukedea CPS, detective constable Simon Peter Oriokot, and police constables; Difas Kamakoin, Onesimus Akankwasa, and Born Naibe. 

Their arrest came as a result of President Yoweri Museveni’s directive following the violence that marred the Bukedea LC V chairperson by-election held last month on June 14. In his June 26 letter, Museveni expressed ‘shock’ over multiple election malpractices that marred the by-election. 

He specifically mentioned the raid by government officials, including security officers on the residence of David Stephen Omagor, one of the aspirants leading to a loss of Shs 163 million, valuable items, and confiscation of nomination papers. 

Museveni emphasized that these actions were not only electoral offenses, but also criminal in nature, comparing the situation to the events of 1980 that led to the country’s political turmoil.

“This sounds like a film. However, I want to be sure that Uganda doesn’t go back to the crime of 1980, with Muwanga elections that forced us to the bush,” Museveni’s letter read in part.

He directed Brig Henry Isoke, the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the matter. During their appearance before Bukedea grade one magistrate, Juliana Kimono on Wednesday, prosecution revealed that the accused officers along with others who are still at large, robbed Omagor on the nights of June 4 and 5, 2023 with the help of an SMG rifle.

They allegedly took Shs 163 million cash, a wristwatch (Audemars Piguet Royal Oak) valued at $23,000 (about Shs 84 million), and nomination documents. The prosecution also charged the group with aggravated robbery after allegedly robbing Beatrice Anyait, a resident of Emokor Cell in Bukedea Town Council of Shs 15 million and a Techno Camon 19 PRO phone on the same night.

The prosecution further presented four separate counts of murder and aggravated torture against Ehguloiti in relation to incidents in 2022, where murder suspects from Kachumbala sub-county were tortured and killed inside the cells at Bukedea CPS. 

Court learned that Ehguloiti in an attempt to obtain information or confessions from the suspects, unlawfully caused the deaths of Michael Ojakol and Paul Anguria. Ojakol was found hanging inside the cells at Bukedea CPS, while Okwakol died during a search for evidence regarding the death of Francis Opolot, who, was killed on Christmas Day 2021. 

In connection with the same case, Moses Olemukan, the former Bukedea LC V chairperson, was arrested and charged with murder.  Since the presidential directive was issued last month, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit has pitched a camp in the Bukedea district. 

According to sources within the team, more arrests are expected in relation to the LCV by-election and other criminal matters in Bukedea.