APAC, Uganda – A somber mood has descended on Arak Village in Akokoro Parish following the brutal murder of a 49-year-old woman, allegedly at the hands of her biological son. The Territorial Police in Apac District have confirmed the arrest of Akaki Gilbert, 22, in connection with the death of Atino Margret, a housewife and resident of the area.
The incident occurred on the night of July 15, 2026, at approximately 11:00 p.m. According to preliminary police investigations, the suspect returned home from Aluga Trading Centre and found his parents and sister asleep in their respective houses.
Trouble began when the suspect went to his father’s house demanding water. When his father, Engena Robert, advised him that it was late and asked him to leave, Akaki allegedly threatened to return with a panga to kill someone. Fearing for his safety and that of his family, the father reportedly left the home to seek help from neighbors, leaving the deceased asleep in the house.
Moments later, the couple's daughter, Alobo Sandra (21), who had heard the suspect talking to her mother, came out of her room. She found her mother lying in a pool of blood at the doorway with severe cut wounds. The suspect was allegedly standing nearby holding a bloodied panga before fleeing the scene. The daughter raised an alarm, drawing neighbors and her father back to the homestead.
A team of police officers from Apac Central Police Station and Akokoro Sub-county Police Station, led by the Officer in Charge of Station, ASP Nkamwesiga Timothy, alongside the Deputy OC CID, IP Ekwire, and Scene of Crime Officers, responded swiftly to the scene.
The body of the deceased was documented and conveyed to Apac Hospital Mortuary for a postmortem examination. The suspect was later arrested while sleeping in an abandoned grass-thatched house approximately half a kilometer from the scene. Upon arrest, Akaki led investigators to the recovery of the panga allegedly used in the murder, which he had concealed in nearby bushes.
Police spokesperson for the North Kyoga Region, SP Patrick Jimmy Okema, confirmed the arrest and provided details regarding the suspect's background.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect is a habitual offender with previous encounters with the law,” said SP Okema. “He is also alleged to be a habitual consumer of alcohol and marijuana. Tragically, community members have stated that the deceased frequently intervened to have him released whenever he was arrested and often encouraged settlement of matters outside court.”
When questioned by investigators, the suspect reportedly claimed that he attacked his mother because she frequently abused him and allegedly chased away his wife, leaving him without a family.
The suspect is currently detained at Apac Central Police Station as investigations into the full circumstances surrounding the incident continue.
