Lira City West Division Police Launch Murder Probe After Decomposing Body Found in School Latrine
LIRA XITY, UGANDA, 3 February 2026 – Police in Lira City West Division opened a suspected‑murder investigation on Thursday after a decomposing adult male body was discovered inside a pit latrine on the grounds of Savior Secondary School in the Kakoge “B” cell of Ojwina Ward.
The discovery was reported at roughly 09:00 a.m. by Adupa Johnson, the 57‑year‑old director of the school, who alerted officers after noticing a foul odour emanating from the school’s open‑air latrine. “When I went to the latrine to investigate the smell, I saw a sack that had been pulled away from the manhole cover. Inside was a body that was clearly already in an advanced state of decomposition,” Johnson told police during a recorded statement.
The body, which was later retrieved by the Lira City Fire Brigade and taken to Lira Regional Referral Hospital for a post‑mortem, has not yet been identified. Preliminary forensic observations suggest the victim was an adult male, but the exact date of death remains unknown.
Crime Scene and Initial Findings
A multi‑agency team — comprising officers from the Division Police Command (DPC), the Office of the County Inspector (OC CID), Crime Intelligence, the Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO), the fire brigade, and the homicide unit — visited the school shortly after the report was filed. The team documented the scene, noting that the school premises are neither fenced nor guarded, a factor that may have facilitated the placement of the body.
According to the police brief, the latrine’s manhole appeared to have been removed, the corpse placed inside, and the cover then re‑installed, effectively concealing the evidence. “The manner in which the body was hidden suggests a calculated effort to delay discovery,” said Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) PJ Okema, SP, who signed the statement on behalf of the North Kyoga Region.
Community Reaction
The incident has sent shockwaves through the tightly‑knit community of Kakoge “B”. Parents of students at Savior Secondary School expressed alarm over the lack of security measures around the school grounds. “We send our children here every day, trusting that they will be safe. This is a terrifying breach of that trust,” said Mercy Achieng, a mother of two pupils.
Local leaders have called for an urgent review of security protocols at educational institutions across Lira City. The Lira City Council has scheduled an emergency meeting for later this week to discuss possible fencing, perimeter patrols, and the installation of surveillance cameras at vulnerable sites.
Police Investigation Ongoing
Detectives have not yet identified any suspects, and the motive remains unclear. Investigators are canvassing the area, reviewing school attendance logs, and interviewing staff and students who may have observed unusual activity in the days leading up to the discovery.
“The investigation is at a critical early stage,” PRO Okema emphasized. “We are working closely with forensic experts to establish a timeline of death, and we are pursuing all leads, including any potential connections to recent criminal activity in the wider North Kyoga region.”
The police have asked anyone with information related to the case to contact the Lira City West Division Police Station directly or call the national tip‑line at 112.
Background
Lira City, the capital of the Lira District in the Northern Region of Uganda, has experienced a surge in reported violent crimes over the past year, prompting heightened security measures by both law enforcement and civil society groups. The West Division, encompassing the densely populated Ojwina Ward, is home to several secondary schools, markets, and small businesses, making it a focal point for community development initiatives.
Savior Secondary School, established in 2005, serves approximately 1,200 students from Kakoge “B” and adjacent neighborhoods. The school’s lack of a perimeter fence has been a longstanding concern for parents and local officials alike.
What Comes Next?
The post‑mortem report, expected within the next 48‑72 hours, will provide essential clues about the victim’s identity, cause of death, and possibly the location where the murder took place. Police have indicated that the findings could lead to a broader investigation into organized criminal activity in the area.
As Lira City mourns the unknown victim and grapples with unsettling questions about safety, authorities are urging calm while promising thorough and transparent investigative procedures.
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