Apac police probe murder of UPDF soldier’s mother found dead at home

Police in Apac District are investigating the murder of a 50-year-old woman who was allegedly killed and dumped at her doorstep.

Janet Akaka, a resident of Village Inn Cell in Agulu Division, Apac Municipality was found dead at her residence on October 30, 2024.

Bosco Akwanga, the LC1 chairperson of Village Inn Cell, said that the deceased appeared to have been killed by suspected criminals with the intention of robbing her.

“When police came, her body was found with head injuries- implying that she could have been beaten and her cheek also seemed to have some fractured bones,” he explained to Monitor on Thursday.

Akwanga said the deceased has been living alone in the house since her children are away for work.

Local authorities believe the apparent attackers targeted the victim’s money, which her son has been sending for upkeep.

“The deceased has a son who is in the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF), and he came home recently for a burial at the neighborhood. So, I am suspecting that the killers thought the deceased could be having some money,” Akwanga said.

Officers from Apac Central Police Station visited the scene and recorded statements from witnesses on the ground.

By press time on Thursday, no suspect had been arrested in connection with the murder but investigations were underway, according to North Kyoga Region Police Spokesperson Patrick Jimmy Okema.

He added: “The body was picked and conveyed to Apac Hospital Mortuary pending postmortem.”

According to the 2023 annual police crime report, about 25 lives are lost to murder or accidents in Uganda every day.