16-year-old arrested in Lira city over fatal throat-Slitting land dispute

15 October 2026, 12:12 pm

By Frank Oyugi

LIRA CITY — Police in Lira City West Division are holding a 16-year-old suspect in connection with the fatal cutting of his 40-year-old paternal uncle following a disagreement over a land boundary in Barapwo Ward. The victim, identified as Nam Moses Solex, was killed instantly during the afternoon altercation on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, in Ongica A Cell.

According to preliminary police reports, a quarrel erupted at around 12:40 PM between the deceased and the suspect, identified as Aremo Samuel, over the cutting of trees along a shared boundary line. The verbal confrontation quickly deteriorated into a physical fight, during which the teenager, who was allegedly armed with a panga, struck his uncle across the throat.

The area Local Council I Chairperson, Mr. Ogal Jimmy, reported the incident to the Lira City West Division Police Station. Scene of Crime Officers subsequently visited and documented the location, recovering the alleged murder weapon to serve as an exhibit. The victim’s body was retrieved and transferred to the Lira Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination while detectives continue their investigations under a registered case of murder by cutting.

Condemning the violent incident, North Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson SP Patrick Jimmy Okema described the occurrence as deeply regrettable and appealed to the public to avoid resorting to violence when handling disagreements. He urged community members to exercise restraint and utilize peaceful resolution mechanisms, including mediation and dialogue, to settle local disputes.