Security officials cutoff from attending burial of Amuru vet officer

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The family members of the deceased former acting Amuru District Veterinary Officer, Dr. Sauel Ochola have barred Amuru district security officials from attending the burial of their son.

Dr. Ochora, 33 will be laid to rest today Saturday at his father’s home in Kirombe Cell in Bardege Layibi Division in Gulu City.

This comes a week after his mysterious death during an alleged crack-down to evict defiant migrant cattle keepers from Akee village in Kololo Parish, Amuru district in the wee hours of January 26th.

Security officials reported that the deceased was accidentally shot in the abdomen by a soldier, but the family has disputed the claims after no bullet was recovered from his body following a postmortem examination.

Godfrey Oryem, the deceased paternal uncle told the press on Saturday that the family is grieved by the fact that security officials in Amuru District haven’t given them a satisfactory account of what led to the death of their son.

Oryem says the family won’t allow the Amuru Resident District Commissioner, the District Police Commander, and the Deputy Internal Security Officer (DISO) to attend the burial of their son alleging they are suspects.

He notes that the security personnel should have by now been in custody to answer the circumstances under which Dr. Ochora was killed but are free.

Oryem says the family is seeking justice for their deceased and demanding the truth from security officials for total healing from the grieving family members.

Godwin Okello, the Prime Minister of Puranga Chiefdom says that although their demands to security personnel for the truth of what transpired leading to the death of Dr. Ochora hasn’t been answered, they decided to go ahead and bury their son.

He however says the burial will be a private arrangement only attended by people invited and notes that their pursuit for justice will continue.

Meanwhile, Puranga Chiefdom leaders have demanded the arrest of all top security officers in the Amuru District with whom the deceased had allegedly traveled for the purported implementation of Presidential Executive Order No 3.

Dr. Ochora, an animal production specialist joined Amuru District Local Government as a veterinary officer in 2016. In 2022, he got a promotion as a senior veterinary officer, a position he served until his demise.

He was slated to graduate with a master’s degree in animal production and marketing from Gulu University this February.

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URN