Police in Pader District are searching for a woman accused of burning a five-year-old boy with petrol after alleging that he stole sweets worth Shs100 from her shop. The suspect, identified by local leaders as Mercy Ajok, is accused of tying the child’s hands with banana leaves, pouring petrol on him and setting him on fire during the incident, which allegedly occurred on Friday, August 1, in Rackoko A Village, Rackoko Parish, Lunyiri Sub-county.
The victim, Calvin Ogwang, had reportedly been living under Ajok’s care since the death of his father, who was her brother. Ajok is said to have relocated from Lira District about four years ago and settled in Pader. According to local leaders, the alleged assault followed the disappearance of sweets worth only Shs100 from Ajok’s shop. Jimmy Ojok Omot, the LC I Chairperson of Rackoko A Village, said he learned of the incident on Sunday after receiving a phone call from another village chairperson. When local leaders went to the home to check on the child, Ajok allegedly refused to let them in.
Ojok said they could hear the boy crying from inside the house, adding that the suspect appeared determined to hide him from the community. Before police arrived, Ajok reportedly fled on a motorcycle. The child was later rescued with severe burns on both hands. Local leaders said he was too weak to stand and appeared malnourished. Lunyiri Sub-county Chairperson Charles Odongto condemned the alleged attack, saying no child deserves such treatment regardless of the circumstances.
Pader District Senior Probation and Social Welfare Officer David Okech said Ajok left behind two other children who had also been under her care. The children are currently being looked after by well-wishers as authorities work to trace their relatives. Okech said cases of child torture remain common in the district because some parents and guardians still consider severe corporal punishment an acceptable form of discipline. He noted that many incidents arise from minor disagreements over food, domestic chores and other household issues, particularly where children are living with guardians or in polygamous families.
District authorities said the suspect disappeared shortly after the incident and that the full circumstances only emerged after the child’s relatives arrived in Rackoko several days later. The boy, who is originally from Dokolo District, has since been taken by relatives for medical treatment and recovery. Pader District Police Commander SP Jackson Bogere confirmed that police have opened a case of aggravated torture and launched a manhunt for the suspect.
“We have registered a case of aggravated torture. Our officers are looking for the suspect, and once she is arrested, she will be arraigned before court,” Bogere said, describing the alleged act as inhumane. Residents have appealed to authorities to ensure the suspect is arrested and prosecuted, with some expressing concern that suspects in similar cases sometimes evade justice through corruption.
According to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2025, police registered 710 cases of child abuse and torture, and 8,064 child-related offences nationwide, highlighting the continued challenge of violence against children-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
