By Ronnie Weswa
TORORO
Police in Mulanda Sub County Tororo district has arrested three suspects for assault occasioning bodily harm to Athieno Kevin, a 62-year old widow in Lokomwa village.
The suspects all residents of Lokomwa village, and brothers-in-law to the widow, include Omalla Patrick, Olowo Julius and Obbo Joseph, while others on the run include Opendi Peter and Olwenyi John the area LC1 chairman.
The suspects on Saturday morning, 25th July, 2026 found the widow tilling her land with a care taker when they attacked her with a panga. The widow’s caretaker was cut on the forehead with a panga, inflicting a deep cut on his head, while the widow was beaten severely on the chest and kicked severally on the abdomen which had undergone a recent operation. This rendered the widow powerless until the neighbours came to her rescue and rushed her to Mulanda health centre 4 where she is receiving treatment.
Shortly after their arrest on Saturday, the suspects were arraigned at Mulanda court today Monday morning, 27th July, 2026. However they pleaded not guilty to their crime, compelling the presiding magistrate Junior Akena to remand them to Kisoko government prison until 27 August 2026.
Meanwhile, police is hunting for two suspects on the run to ensure they face the wrath of the law.
Sandra Abbo, a legal officer from Redeem International Tororo office, emphasized that it is against the laws of the country to chase a widow from her land, deny a widow a share in her late husband’s estate or distribute a deceased’s property without court’s authority.
Athieno Kevin, lost her husband in 2008, but since April this year, she has been fighting to protect her land measuring about 15 acres from the suspects who had forcefully encroached on it with claims that the deceased was given the biggest portion of the family land, and that a woman has no right to own land. The suspects had also gone ahead to distribute part of the widow’s land amongst themselves.
