The Soroti High Court has sentenced four individuals to 35 years in prison each for the gruesome murder of a couple in Kapelebyong District, an incident authorities say stemmed from a long-standing financial dispute worth just UGX 200,000.
The convicts, Yapesi Omwumwa (57), James Edoru (55), Emma Oriada (47), and Yakobo Onyait (58), were on Monday found guilty of murdering Stella Amajo and her husband Sameo Okapo on February 7, 2021, in Olelia A Village, Akodokod Parish.
According to court proceedings, the dispute originated from money owed to the convicts following the sale of a cow.
Testimonies revealed a history of tension between the two families, with unresolved conflict eventually erupting into fatal violence.
On the fateful night, residents reported hearing a quarrel between the victims, followed by unusual silence.
Investigations later revealed that both Amajo and Okapo had been strangled to death inside their bedroom.
A police canine unit was called to the scene the next morning.
In his testimony before court, the dog handler said the canine led detectives directly to the homesteads of the four suspects. Some of the items recovered from their premises were believed to have been used in the killings.
A postmortem report presented in court confirmed that both victims died as a result of strangulation, consistent with the injuries observed at the crime scene.
In delivering his judgment, Justice Boniface Wamala stated that evidence presented by five prosecution witnesses, including the dog handler and medical personnel, strongly connected the convicts to the crime.
He noted that the prosecution had successfully demonstrated that the group acted with a common intention, driven by anger and resentment over the unpaid debt.
“The convicts held a long-standing grudge against the deceased, and their actions were deliberate, cruel, and unjustifiable,” Justice Wamala ruled, before sentencing each of them to 35 years imprisonment.
State Attorney Doreen Adero welcomed the conviction but argued that the punishment should have been much harsher, citing a rise in violent crimes linked to land and financial disputes in the region.
“These sentences, while significant, fall short of reflecting the gravity of the offense. A harsher penalty, even up to 70 years, would have sent a stronger message to deter similar acts,” she told the court.
However, defense lawyers Francis Ajum and Joseph Odong pleaded for leniency, highlighting that each convict is a breadwinner to a large family.
“They have more than ten children each who depend on them. Extremely long sentences will not only punish the convicts but also condemn their families to suffering,” Ajum argued.
The courtroom was filled with tension and grief as the sentences were read. Children of Yapesi Omwumwa reportedly broke down in tears, struggling to come to terms with the reality that their father would spend the rest of his productive years behind bars.
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