A Uganda Peoples Defence Forces Soldier was on Wednesday morning found dead in Gulu Municipality after allegedly being strangled by his colleagues.
Private Raphael Odokonyero 37, a soldier attached to 76 Battalion Bondo
in Arua district was found lifeless near in Kanyogoga ‘A ‘ sub ward, Kanyogoga ward, Bardege Division.
The deceased had reportedly travelled to the 4th Infantry Division headquarters in Gulu to apply for loan, according to sources in the army.
It’s reported that prior to his death Odokonyero had been drinking alcohol with his girlfriend at a local bar at Conga Oloya Market.
The area LCI chairperson Ms Florence Atoo confirmed the death of Odokonyero to Acholi Times in an interview Wednesday saying the cause of death was still unclear.
Atoo said the body of the deceased was found by residents in the morning who later alerted local leaders.
“I was called by the locals here that a soldier was found dead. I rushed to the scene and we alerted my secretary for security. This kind of death is a shock to me, I don’t want it to happen in my area,” Ms Atoo said.
Three arrested
The Aswa River Region Police Spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema said police carried out preliminary investigation leading to the arrest of three suspects believed to have killed the deceased.
He explained that the deceased was strangled by his assailants after a fight broke out between them over a woman.
According to Mr Okema, three suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the murder of Pte Odokonyero.
He identified the suspects as Moses Okello a UPDF soldier attached to 4th Infantry Division, Fred Loum and Fiona Nalubega, the woman who had accompanied the deceased to the drinking joint.
Mr Okema said the suspects are being detained at 4th infantry Division barracks cells pending investigation adding that a suspected murder case registered under CRB 212/2019 has been opened at Gulu Central Police Station.
The 4th infantry Division Commander Col Bonny Bamwiseki said he was busy when Acholi Times sought comment from him.
By press time, the body of the deceased was being kept at the army barracks morgue awaiting a postmortem report.
