The Third Division Military Court Martial in Kotido District has sentenced a Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) soldier to 65 years in prison for murder.
Peter Lokidi was sentenced on Saturday during an open court session held in Nakapelimoru sub-county, presided over by Col. Francis Kateraho.
Lokidi who was attached to the 2nd Division 303 Brigade in Kanungu district shot dead Peter Lojale, the LCI chairperson of Longelep village, Angol Lochariale, and Lopiringole Locheng.
The incident happened after Lokidi had been arrested for assaulting his wife in Kotido District. When Lokidi was being taken to the Police Station, he grabbed a gun from a police officer and shot the victims.
Col. Kateraho said that Lokidi will serve 60 years each for the murder of three people and five years each for injuring two people. He said the sentence will be served concurrently.
The court also sentenced two Karamojong warriors to 60 years for the murder of four people.
Modo Apakori (26), and Lopukan Lomoru (20) killed Moses Lomuria, the Longaroe sub-county chairperson, Lt Issa Mayende, Private Joseph Mwanika, and Peter Lokol in July at Narubela trading centre.
According to the prosecution, the four were in a meeting when they were attacked by the warriors who started shooting at the group, killing them instantly.
They were later arrested from different locations and a gun with six live rounds of ammunition was recovered.
Col. Kateraho ruled that Apakori and Lopukan will each serve the 60 years concurrently.
Nuria Ashraf Teko, the Kotido district vice chairperson, applauded the army for conducting the session publicly. Teko said that this has brought hope to the community members that justice has been served.
Teko noted that the relatives of the deceased have also been demanding compensation as per their traditional norms. She said that the convicts were supposed to pay 60 cows to the aggrieved relatives of the deceased if they were to be forgiven and cleared of the sin.