Police and other security agencies have arrested more than three suspects over the killing of Chris Nyeko, a Gulu University health unit staff member who was murdered in May.
In a statement dated October 28, the university said investigators took the lead suspect, identified as Alex Okwera, back to the crime scene on Wednesday. The exercise involved the Uganda Police Force, the UPDF, Police Crime Intelligence and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), and was coordinated by Gulu City Central Police Commander SP Joseph Karugaba.
The university said two other people, Innocent Latim and Ronald Kinyera, are also reportedly in custody in connection with the investigation.
Police intend to bring murder charges against the suspects under case reference CRB 259/2026. None has yet been charged in court, and all are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The university welcomed the arrests, saying it had been seeking justice for Nyeko, and called for the case to be handled quickly through the courts.
Background
Nyeko, a laboratory technician at the university’s health centre, was attacked in the early hours of May 22 near St Peter’s Catholic Church in Laroo-Pece Division, a short distance from the main campus. Police said at the time that he was walking home and that some of his belongings were taken.
Second killing still unsolved
The arrests come as the university community is still mourning second-year student John Bosco Ngire, who was killed near the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment in the early hours of Saturday, October 10. At the time, university spokesperson James Ojok Onono accused city security agencies of failing to protect students, and a deputy Resident City Commissioner said no suspect had been arrested.
The university’s statement did not mention Ngire’s case. It said Gulu University will keep working with the police, the UPDF, the Gulu City Security Committee, local leaders and students to improve security, so that students and staff can live, study, work and move around without fear.
CampusBee has asked police whether any arrests have been made over Ngire’s death and will update this story.
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