Two of the five suspects who were arrested and charged in connection with the gruesome murder of a third year student of Gulu University three years ago have pleaded guilty before the Gulu high court.
The suspects appeared before the High Court Judge on Tuesday for murdering Tonny Opiyo Laker, a final year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Computer Science. At the time of his death, Opiyo was also working as a special hire taxi driver at Gulu Main Bus Park.
The suspects in the murder are: Martin Odong, (37), Charles Lukuliya alias Saleh, (43), Moses Okello, (25) Beatrice Aber (24) and Bosco Ocaya, (28).
The suspects were charged with two counts of murder and an aggravated robbery.
Prosecution led by William Bayo alleges that the five and others who are still at large on January 10, 2013, at Wii- Layibi Techo, Techo parish, Layibi division in Gulu Municipality at around 6PM, murdered Opiyo.
Bayo told the High Court judge that Lukuliya and Okello had hired Opiyo from Gulu Main Taxi Park in Gulu town before strangling him at Techo, about 8KM from Gulu town.
Bayo says the deceased fought off his attackers but he was overpowered after which he was strangled and his body dumped in a forest.
According to Bayo, the suspects also robbed the deceased off an Ipsum (grey in colour) car Reg. No. UAP 181 W contrary to section 285 of the penal code act.
Bayo added that the deceased was killed using a rope before his body was dragged to a nearby bush.
Prosecution says the car was later driven by Lukuliya from Gulu through Arua district before it was sold in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from where, the prosecution said, it has never been recovered.
Lukuliya and Okello confessed to committing the murder but Odong, Aber and Ocaya pleaded not guilty to the two capital offences.
Justice Mutonyi accordingly convicted the pair on their own pleas of guilt.
Counsel Conrad Oroya, he lawyer representing the accused informed court that his clients are willing to become state witness in the case.
In his own word, Oroya says both Lukuliya and Okello have expressed willingness to become state witness so as to see that justice is done in the case.
The suspects were further remanded to Gulu Central Government Prisons until March 13, 2016 when the case will come up for hearing as prosecution.
During the 8th graduation ceremony of Gulu University at the main campus situated at Laroo Division in Gulu Municipality, students and Gulu university staff paid tribute to Opiyo describing him as jolly person.
