A six year old and police officer are airlifted to a hospital in katakwi

The crash occurred at about 1:40 p.m. on Monday at Aboi Boi Village. According to preliminary police reports, a Toyota Land Cruiser registration number UP 2525, driven by SSP Godwin Ochaki of the Welfare and Production Directorate at Police Headquarters, was travelling from Olilim Police Training School (PTS) towards Soroti when the accident happened.

Police said a child, identified as Arnold Ilaborot, six, the son of Joseph Okwatum of Cheele North Village in Getom Sub-county, attempted to cross the road and was knocked by the vehicle.

The impact reportedly caused the driver to lose control before the vehicle overturned. The child died at the scene, while SSP Ochaki sustained serious injuries and was initially admitted to Katakwi General Hospital.

Police later confirmed that the officer was successfully evacuated to Kampala aboard an air ambulance following a coordinated emergency response.

“Our entire regional command team witnessed the exercise, and we are immensely humbled and motivated by the experience,” police said in a statement, commending the Directorate’s emergency medical response team for the swift evacuation.

Traffic officers from Katakwi District visited and documented the scene, while the damaged vehicle was towed to Katakwi Police Station for inspection.

The child’s body was taken to Katakwi General Hospital mortuary pending a post-mortem examination. Police said investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash are ongoing.