Police launch manhunt after watchman is shot dead in Kotido

KOTIDO | Police in Kotido District have launched a manhunt after Lojara Lojok, a 47-year-old watchman, was shot dead by assailants.

The incident occurred on the evening of April 23 at Nakoreto Primary School in Maru Sub-county.

According to witness accounts, an unsuspecting Lojara opened the school gate to a group of Karamojong warriors who shot him in the head, killing him on the spot.

Following the 6pm attack, the assailants fled the scene.

In response to the incident, a team of detectives from Kotido Police Station was dispatched to the scene to conduct investigations.

“The area was cordoned off as police officers worked to gather evidence and secure the area," Karamoja Region Police spokesperson Mike Longole told Nile Post.

"We recovered two cartridges from the scene, which will undergo further analysis as part of the investigation.”

The deceased watchman was only armed with a stick and the motive of his shooting remains unclear.

While the firearm used in the attack remains unaccounted for, a post-mortem examination was conducted on the body of the deceased.

Lojara's body was handed over to his relatives to facilitate a dignified burial ceremony as the community grappled with the shock and loss resulting from this tragic incident.