Serere Teacher Held in UPDF Soldier's Death

A teacher from Olio Primary School in Serere district is in police custody, facing allegations of murdering her boyfriend, a soldier serving in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). The deceased, identified as Michael Ojakol, also known as Ojakoro, was discovered on June 3rd, his body found hanging from a mango tree within the school compound.

Ojakol, who was attached to the 150th Artillery Brigade and deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was reportedly on leave at his home in Agoltom village at the time of the incident. According to police, a dispute occurred between Ojakol and the suspect, Mercy Iyogil, on the evening of June 2nd. The conflict allegedly stemmed from suspicions of infidelity.

The couple reportedly sought the intervention of the school’s head teacher to resolve their disagreement. After the mediation, Iyogil is said to have given Ojakol Shs 100,000, purportedly to help him return to his duty station.

Ojakol was last seen leaving the school premises, with the expectation that he would travel back to his post. However, his body was found the next morning by a local resident. Detectives processed the scene, collected evidence, and sent the body for a postmortem examination at Serere Hospital.

Preliminary findings from the postmortem suggest that Ojakol’s death was not a suicide. Police spokesperson ASP Stephen Mukombe stated that the report indicates the soldier was killed before his body was suspended from the tree, noting that the body had been tied multiple times. Iyogil remains detained as investigations continue to clarify the full circumstances surrounding Ojakol’s death. The police are appealing to the public for any information that could assist their inquiry.

Source: The Observer (Uganda) https://observer.ug/news/serere-teacher-arrested-over-murder-of-army-boyfriend