The family of Jesca Akwi, a grandmother who died after being attacked by an angry crowd in Bukedea District, is demanding a thorough police investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Akwi was assaulted on June 17 in Kanyanga Village after residents accused her of attempting to exhume the remains of her grandson, John Sale, 16 months after his burial.
According to accounts from the community, suspicion arose when Akwi travelled to Bukedea Town and returned with a new casket without informing family members or local leaders. Residents reportedly questioned her motives, and tensions escalated after it emerged that she had allegedly begun digging the grave.
What started as curiosity and suspicion quickly turned violent as a crowd of nearly 200 people descended on the elderly woman, leaving her critically injured. Relatives say that despite the severity of the incident, they have seen little progress in investigations and are now calling on police to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
Ivan Okwaput, a relative of the deceased, said the focus should not only be on Akwi’s alleged actions but also on understanding the circumstances that may have driven her decision. He suggested that unresolved family disputes, including possible disagreements over land inheritance, could have played a role.
Okwaput condemned the mob attack, arguing that even if Akwi had acted unlawfully, she deserved due process rather than violence. He also urged police and local leaders to intensify community sensitisation campaigns against mob justice, warning that such incidents continue to claim lives in the area.
Alice Abalo, another relative, described the attack as inhumane and said clan leaders should have sought dialogue to understand Akwi’s intentions instead of allowing violence to prevail. She argued that holding those responsible accountable would send a strong message against mob justice and help prevent similar incidents in the future. Abalo also questioned the decision to release Akwi’s body for burial before a comprehensive investigation had been completed.
Martin Ocom, the LCIII Chairperson of Kidongole Sub-county, said he was among the first leaders to arrive at the scene after receiving reports of the attack. He immediately alerted police, who transported Akwi to Bukedea Health Centre IV for treatment. Ocom noted that before her death, Akwi was able to identify some of the individuals who participated in the assault.
He said the matter has now been left in the hands of investigators, adding that those who believed Akwi had committed an offence only worsened the situation by taking the law into their own hands.
The Regional Police Commander for South Kyoga, David Katunda, said that investigations are ongoing and that police are pursuing several known suspects who remain on the run. Akwi later succumbed to her injuries at Bukedea Health Centre IV on Wednesday. Her body was subsequently handed over to the family for burial as investigators continue to piece together the events that led to her death. For Akwi’s family, however, the questions remain unanswered. Beyond the allegations that triggered the attack, they say their greatest concern is ensuring that the grandmother’s death does not become another unresolved case of mob justice-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
