Lira: Parish chief commits suicide after expending savers’ shs10m

The money, now no more, was meant to be divided amongst the group members on Sunday morning [today].

Lira – 19, December 2021: Shock, sorrow and questions are what people of Amokogee parish, Wiodyek sub-county in Lira district are now living with after a parish chief allegedly hanged himself over a group savings he expended.

It is now understood the deceased was a custodian of shs10 million.

Oming Patrick, 37, left his home for about 3km, climbed a tall tree and roped his neck. TND News’ Doreen Acipa visited the suicide scene. “He killed himself near Alik health center II soon to be upgraded to HCIII, his body was discovered at 6am today [Dec 2021],” she reports.

The deceased has been a treasurer of a village group, Neno Abor in Abia-mwonyi village, Amokogee parish and has been in custody of shs10m. The money, now no more, was meant to be divided amongst the group members on Sunday morning [today].

In an exclusive interview with the deceased’s wife, Jolly Alum, she narrated that both of them were in “very good terms” on Saturday evening. “There was completely nothing wrong,” she adds.

It was at around 3am, Sunday morning when one of their 12-year-old son only identified as Diego saw his father escaping from the house with a rope.

He informed the mother who immediately went and informed her in-laws. Soon, a search for the bread winner of the home started.

Okwir Tony is the group’s chairperson and clan brother to the deceased. He tells TND News, “I called the deceased’s phone at 5am to inform him to be ready with the money, the group members want to divide the money in the morning so he should not go to Church if possible.”

“Later, i learnt that it was his wife who picked the phone call and did not tell me anything. She passed the phone to her elder brother in-law identified as Ongura Isaac who only said ‘I will call you back’”.

Ongura would soon show himself to inform Okwir about the missing of Oming.

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They embarked on the search. In few minutes, he was found hanging lifeless atop a tree in one of their gardens.

The Police Commander Lira City East Division, Godfry Abigaba visited the scene with his team and the body was taken for postmortem.

Abigaba says investigations are still under way. He advised the public not to end their life by committing suicide, but rather use the leaders from the LC1 chairperson, security, family members or even friends to share their problems.

As Christmas approaches, Abigaba urges women to understand their husbands on what they cannot afford. He also warned men who has more than one wife to provide equally for the families.

Lira Deputy RDC, Chemutai James Small said as security their investigations is still on going and that the matter will be brought to rest. “Handle issues in your homes amicably,” he implores, adding that people should make sure that they truly entrust those they are going to put as leaders or committee of any group, SAACO or and association.

“He was a group treasurer but he never discussed any anything to do with the group’s money with me. I have been thinking the money is there,” widow re-counted, earlier.