By Priscah Atuhaire,
TORORO:
Police in Tororo District have identified the family that buried the remains of 18 people in a mass grave in Akworot South Village in Mukuju Sub-county.
According to Nickson Owole, the Resident District Commissioner, the grave was dug by the family of Saleh Mubarak, a resident of Amagoro “A” North Village in eastern Tororo Municipality to rebury the remains of their fallen relatives after they were ordered to relocated to pave way for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway.
Owole said preliminary reports indicate that the family is among hundreds of residents who were have been asked to vacate their land and relocate the graves of their relatives after receiving their compensation.
Its reported that the family bought land from the late Joseph Okumu Boma, a resident of Akworot South Village at Shs18m, where they relocated the remains.
However, following the mysterious death of Okumi on Friday, the residents mobilised and exhumed five of the remains.
In a letter dated September 20 authored by RDC Owole to Saleh’s family, the RDC instructed the family to reexhume the bodies and re-bury them using recommended burial standards as well as respecting public health standards.
However, the RDC contends that Saleh’s family acted on contrary and did not follow the exhumation guidelines as well as respecting public health standards thus directing them to rexhume
“My office has been fully furnished with the information that you rightfully bought the land from the late Joseph Okumu Boma but while relocating the remains and bodies of your fallen relatives, you didn’t consider burial standards recommended by the public health act hence posing health hazard to the neighbouring communities in case it rains heavily therefore my office directs you to exhume and rebury them,” the letter reads in part.
