Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Fresh details have emerged about Simon Peter Otim who was shot dead on Thursday night at Sebina Zone- Kaleerwe, Mulago III Parish, Kawempe Division.
Otim was shot at around 8:30pm by two men who entered the sitting room where he was with his wife, daughter and a visitor.
Otim was shot twice in the chest and then severally stabbed as his wife, daughter and the visitor hid in the bedrooms screaming for help. The killers also attempted to attack the wife Prossy Namutebi but she did not heed to their threats to open the bedroom door.
Fresh details show Otim was released in May after spending over 10 years in jail on conviction of aggravated robbery. It is alleged that Otim who had returned from Iraq where he served as a security guard bought a mobile phone which had been robbed from a person who was allegedly killed.
As a result, Otim was subsequently arrested, prosecuted, found guilty and sentenced to serve 20 years over aggravated robbery.
However court set him free on second appeal but he had already served a half of his jail term.
“We’re in the sitting room in our conversation when strangers gained entry into our home. Two men had a gun and knives. One immediately cocked and shot him in the chest. We all run to the bedrooms shouting for help. We had him screaming for help,” Namutebi said.
Patrick Onyango the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson confirmed that Otim was an ex-convict who was released barely three months ago. Onyango said they are yet to know the reason behind Otim’s gruesome murder.
“We have launched investigations into the incident. We have recorded statements from several witnesses. The case is being handled by our detectives at Wandegeya police station. We picked one live bullet and a cartridge,” Onyango said.
William Kazibwe, a chapatti seller said he heard the family screaming for help after a bullet sound. Kazibwe added that the killers fled on a motorcycle. “I came and found people fearing to enter the house. I entered and I found him in a pool of blood. We rushed him to Mulago hospital because he looked like he was still alive. But the doctors said he was already dead,” Kazibwe said.
Ismail Nsanja, the Vice Chairman of Sebina zone, said Otim’s killers fled on a motorcycle.
Nsanja added that the killers had attempted to take the Bwaise route but changed perhaps fearing CCTV cameras and rode towards Makerere Kavule route.
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