LAMWO – A 45-year-old woman has died in Lamwo District in northern Uganda after she was shot by a police officer who was commanding the operation to arrest her son, local leaders have reported.
Ketty Acan, a resident of Aringo Kulu village in Madi Opei Sub-county was reportedly shot in the chest in the wee hours of Thursday morning at her home by the officer in charge of Madi Opei Police station.
Son accused of defilement
It’s reported that the deceased was shot while trying to stop police officers who wanted to arrest her son on charges of defilement.
The Madi Opei Sub County chairperson, Mr Charles Obong Okwera told press on Thursday that the arrest had been prompted by a case filed by a UPDF soldier who reported to the police on Wednesday that Acan’s son was defiling her daughter who’s in senior three.
The shooting
“The officer in charge of Madi Opei Police Station Nuwagaba and his junior police officer who were armed on Thursday morning stormed the home of Acan in an attempt to arrest her son. Unfortunately, the boy they wanted to arrest escaped and they (officers) started firing in the air. This attracted the attention of Acan who was sleeping in a separate room,” Mr Okwera said.
He added that Acan later came out of her hut and started running after the police officers telling them to stop firing live bullets at her son.
“She was shouting loudly at the police officers to stop firing at her son and instead arrest him peacefully without injuring him. Unfortunately, the police officer turned and shot at her on the chest claiming she was obstructing their operation,” he added.
Mr Okwera said the deceased later died at Madi Opei Health Centre IV where she was rushed for medical treatment.
Officers flee station
Mr Okwera said when the police officers heard that Acan had died, they fled their station.
“There is no one at the police station at the moment. All the police officers have fled leaving behind guns in the armoury. They must be scared of locals taking revenge against them,” Mr Okwera said.
Mr Okwera noted that he has informed soldiers at Bana bana army detach for reinforcement to secure the abandoned police station.
Suspects arrested
The Aswa river region police spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Patrick Okema told this reporter that their officers had gone to apprehend a suspect but in the process released a bullet that killed a woman.
He said the suspects have since been arrested and detained at Lamwo central police station pending investigation into the matter.
The incident comes just two days after a four month-old-baby girl and her 36-year-old mother were shot by riot police officers in Atiak Sub County in Amuru District.
The toddler and her mother were shot as police fired live bullets and teargas to disperse angry locals who stormed Atiak Police Station where a driver who had knocked dead a five-year-old pupil of Mary Mother of God primary school was being detained.
