By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Madi Paramount Chief, His Highness, Drani Izakari is in the coolers after being rearrested this morning, 19th April, 2023 for leading an attack in Adjumani district where women were raped, sticks inserted in their private parts and others tortured severely.
The Chief was however later released on bond after presenting credible sureties.
According to the Adjumani LC5 chairperson, Ben Anyama the chief was this morning rearrested and taken to Grade One Magistrate’s Court in Adjumani.
Anyama says, a soldier at the rank of Major has also been arrested. The soldier according to earlier information is Major Trevor, the UPDF commander in Zoka garrison .
The Major allegedly commanded an operation to avert escalation of violence where a section of the Madi community was accused of allegedly burning down the houses of their neighbouring Acholi community.
The chief has been charged with murder, torture, rape and arson. The Chief was first arrested on Easter Sunday for allegedly leading a group of people into Aliwara village, Ngoro West, Itirikua Sub County in Adjumani district.
By the time of filing this story, His Highness, Drani was still in court.
The two tribes have a long standing dispute over Apaa land. The contested Apaa land covers 40 square kilometres. The clashes arose from the 2015 decision by the government to annex part of Pabbo Sub -county in Amuru District to the nearby Adjumani District, despite protests from Amuru leaders and residents.
BACKGROUND
The Police in Adjumani on April 16, 2023, grilled the Madi Paramount chief Drani Stephen Izakare for over six hours after he was implicated in the torture of two women and 11 others following a UPDF operation in Ngoro West settlement area Zoka.
The police public relations officer North West Nile Ignatius Dragudu said Chief Drani indeed responded to police summons following a complaint of torture that was registered against him at Adjumani central police station on April 12, 2023.
Dragudu said the police had already preferred four charges against the accused Chief including; attempted murder, rape and assault and once that file is complete, it will be forwarded to the DPP for further action.
He however revealed that the suspect was later released on police bond after he produced substantial sureties and has been instructed to report to police on April 19, 2023.
Chief Drani Stephen Izakare the paramount chief of Madi is the spokesperson for the Forum of African Traditional Authorities.
Two women who are ailing in Adjumani hospital with broken limbs have accused Major Trevor, the UPDF commander in Zoka garrison of torturing them during an operation to avert escalation of violence accusing a section of the Madi community of allegedly burning down the houses of their neighbouring Acholi community.
Chief Drani according to the victims was present in the torture camp on April 11, 2023, as the UPDF dehumanized them and did nothing to rescue the situation.
The community in the Ngoro Settlement area led by their leader Mr Angu James have accused Chief Drani Stephen Izakare and Major Trevor of connivance to illegally evict them out of the land using the excuse of the conflict with the Acholi community which is not true.
President Yoweri Museveni last year 2022 facilitated the heads of cultural institutions of Madi and Acholi to the tune of shs 100m for peace dialogue in the volatile Apaa area.
