The role that Lira’s ex-police boss Otim played in Adyebo’s murder

On February 17, 2025, the Uganda Human Rights Commission tribunal awarded shs65 million in compensation to Katorin Alango, an elderly woman, for her son’s death.

Her son was killed by the police commander in 2007.

Shs60 million of the total cost is for general damages (violation of Adyebo’s right to life), with a 10% annual interest rate from the date of judgment until full payment is made.

Shs5 million has been awarded as exemplary damages.

Katorin, 68, is a resident of Bung-gudu village, Inomo sub-county, Apac. She filed a complaint with the Commission as Adyebo Francis’ mother and estate administrator.

Adyebo, also known as Onyala, died on October 25, 2007, at the age of 29.

Mariam Wangadya, the Commission’s chairperson, presided over the tribunal, which also included commissioners Col (Rtd) Stephen Basaliza, Lamex Omara Apita, and Crispin Kaheru.

They argued that Adyebo was a young man who had never known the joys of being a husband and father.

“He had many decades of life ahead of him before his life was brutally taken from him by state agents,” the tribunal ruled.

“The right to life is the most important, without which all other rights and freedoms cannot be enjoyed.”

Alango welcomed the decision, saying she had waited so long for justice and hoped that the government would follow the ruling.

She said the matter “took so long.” “I followed it for years, and now I am getting old. If the government values her people, they should pay me now so I can get a taste of it.”

How Adyebo met his death

On October 24, 2007, Francis Adyebo was remanded to Erute Government Prison on alleged theft charges.

However, the following day, the then-Lira District Police Commander (DPC) Raymond Otim, accompanied by the officer in charge of the criminal investigations Department, Christopher Ocamgiu, went to Erute and requested that Adyebo be handed over because he was needed in the investigation of a murder.

Adyebo was handed over to them by Corporal Amot Olong (No.6777) who was a gatekeeper. According to documented evidence, Katorin Alango found out about Adyebo’s death on October 26.

His body was found in the mortuary of Lira Hospital on October 26. He had been shot in the head and chest.

Since her son passed away while in police custody, Alango argued that he was killed by state security agents. She described it as “illegal, deliberate, and a violation of his right to life.”

The commission held Otim Raymond accountable for Adyebo’s death.

“We are convinced that Raymond Otim, the then-DPC of Lira Police Station, was responsible for Adyebo’s death. He conned and bullied Cpl. Amot Olong into releasing Adyebo to him.

“The next day, Adyebo was lying dead in Lira Hospital Mortuary: his upper body riddled with bullet wounds.”

According to records, all three prison officers testified that Otim took Adyebo, and after proving that Otim had custody of Adyebo, the burden of explaining how Adyebo died fell on him.

However, the Commission concluded that Otim completely failed or refused to explain how Adyebo died.

“We reasonably believe that Otim either personally shot and killed Adyebo or gave orders to shoot and kill him and so it was done.”

This is one of the cases the UHRC has concluded. On the same day it sat in Lira City, shs60m compensation was awarded to Amolatar widow after her husband died in prison custody.