UPDF soldier kills wife, shoots self
A man aims a gun at his target.
The leadership of Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) 5th division is investigating circumstances under which one of their soldiers shot his wife dead and later turned the gun on himself.
The incident happened in Kitgum District on Tuesday.
According to Col Deo Akiiki, the UPDF deputy spokesperson, the victims were identified as Henry Odwani, a UPDF soldier attached to Kurukuba Dettac in Madiope Sub County, Kitgum District and his wife, Grace Imalingat.
“Yesterday, at around 10am, he shot and killed his wife and later killed himself. Investigations into the incident are ongoing to ascertain the motive [of the shooting],” Col Akiiki said on Wednesday.
He condemned the unfortunate incident and urged soldiers to seek help from the psycho-social support officers who have been deployed across all army units and formations.
“We implore all soldiers to utilise our psycho-social support officers currently deployed across all units plus political commissars to solve any type of domestic misunderstandings without use of weapons,” Col Akiiki noted.
Imalingat becomes the fourth victim to be killed by soldiers of the national forces in less than a month. On July 17, CPL Lawrence Sibiwa attached to the 51 Infantry Battalion in Bukwo District shot and killed a civilian [Fred Kwemoi] along Kapchorwa-Bukwo-Suam road.
Another incident occurred on July 13, where Cpl Avugo Lomuro of the Mountain Division Signal Department, attached to the Airforce Evacuation Component shot and killed his two colleagues and also injured another one.
