Brenda Atim Kinyera, an ex- journalist and the National Youth Chairperson of the Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) has been arrested in connection with last week’s murder of the Gulu municipality Deputy Town Clerk, Oola John, police in Gulu said on Monday.
Since last week, rumour had been doing the rounds in Gulu that Atim had been arrested and detained at Gulu Central Police, but both the police and her party, the UPC faction led by Lira municipality member of parliament Jimmy Akena were cagey when asked for comment.
But on Monday Aswa region police spokesman Jimmy Patrick Okema confirmed Atim’s arrest during a press conference at the Northern Uganda Media Club in Gulu. Okema said Atim was being held at the Gulu central police.
John Oola was murdered last Tuesday by unknown people at Kanyagoga B village in Bardege division Gulu town. He had dropped by car a female acquaintance, Alice Kipwola when he was attacked. Kipwola is also in police custody to help police with investigations.
The police say Atim was picked because after police examined phone call record printouts of the late Oola, she was found to have been in touch with the deceased. Police did not say when exactly this communication took place. But it is understood by Acholi Times that the late Oola’s phone records for the last three months before his death were being examined.
When contacted, Sharon Oyat, the spokesperson for the UPC faction to which Atim belonged said she was not aware about the arrest and instead referred our reporter to the police.
Atim’s arrest brings to nine the number of suspects so far arrested in connection with the murder of the late Oola. Police said four of the suspects have been transferred to Kampala. Some accounts say they have been taken to the notorious Nalufenya police station in Jinja district. This could, however, not be independently verified.
Friends of Atim Brenda Kinyera describe her as an outgoing person with friends in many quarters, across ideological divides and that she loved to hang around social spots. Unconfirmed reports say the late Oola planned to take her on as a second wife.
Besides being the UPC National Youth Chairperson it is not clear, even to friends, what Atim Brenda Kinyera does for a living. She splits her time between Gulu and Kampala. She is not married but is thought to have a child with a UPDF officer.
Before she jumped into the murky waters of politics, Atim worked as a Gulu-based freelance reporter, contributing news stories for numerous outlets.
