One person is confirmed dead and 11 grass-thatched houses burnt following inter clan clashes in Kaberamaido district on Friday.
The clashes stemmed from the death of Hellen Aligo who was admitted at Lira Regional Referral Hospital in critical condition on Wednesday after she had sustained severe injuries when the house she was sleeping in was allegedly torched by unknown arsonist.
Aligo becomes the fifth person to die following a mysterious fire on Tuesday night that killed her husband and three children.
Aligo, a resident of Olio Village in Alwa sub-county in Kaberamaido district was rushed to Lira regional hospital following the fire, while her husband Richard Okwaju, and her three children identified as Ejang Lydia 10, Aguru Josephine 8, and Agwang Evelyn aged one year died on spot.
Police confirmed that Sam Eyoro 39, was reportedly beaten to death during the clashes, while his mother identified as Celina Ayuru was also beaten severely by Aligo’s relatives.
Ayuru has since been rushed to Kaberamaido hospital where she is receiving medical treatment.
Emisu Edmond, a local resident said during the attack, 11 grass thatch houses belonging to Eyoro and his mother were burnt to ashes. The attackers also killed four cows and took 14 others.
According to him the relatives of Aligo came to revenge after claiming that the arsonist in the Tuesday fire came from Eyoro’s family.
Mid Eastern police spokesman, Juma Hassan Nyene, says the relatives of Aligo reportedly organized and attacked the family members of the prime suspect, Denis Odongo, who is still on the run.
Nyene said police have been deployed in the area, and that no arrest has so far been made. He said police mobilised community members to bury Eyoro on Friday after his family members had all run away and abandoned the body. Aligo will be buried today.
