Police in Kotido have arrested a couple for allegedly killing
their own baby. Lorna Awili and her husband Paul Lokiru were arrested on Friday
after their eight-month- baby was found dead in the house.
Residents of Acholi Inn in Kotido Municipality were shocked when they found
body parts which include the tongue and private part missing.
Police preliminary investigations indicate that the baby’s neck
was broken and suspect that the child could have been strangled before body
parts were cut off.
Neighbours told our reporter that the couple has had several arguments
over the welfare of the child.
Lucia Lokwameri, the grandmother to the child says the baby was fine the whole
day and was still happy by the time people retired to bed.
“I don’t know what happened at night but I left for bed when my grandchild was
doing well. There must be something fishy here”, the teary grandmother said.
But both parents claim ignorance of what transpired at night. Lokiru, says that
he returned home last night at 11:00 pm when his wife was breastfeeding the
baby.
// cue in “Akenyuni atete…
Cue out…epei ekithina”//
Awili attributes the death of her child to witchcraft but could not divulge
details. She says she woke up at around 4:00 am after putting the baby to
sleep, only to find her child in a pool of blood.
// Cue in “ngayeni ca…
Cue out…eyanga aokot”//
The area councillor, Margaret Komakech wants thoroughly investigations carried
out to establish the cause of death.
// Cue in “At first they complained…
Cue out…nine months”//
The officer in charge criminal investigations in Kotido, Innocent Dusabe said
they have launched an investigation.
Last year, Awili was paraded before the village council and elders
in Acholi Inn Village over child neglect. She had abandoned her one-year-old
boy who later died due to malnutrition.
At the council of elders and village leaders, Awili reportedly
confessed that she would not take care of her son.
