Suspect dies by suicide in Alebtong police cell

A 35-year-old suspect has died by hanging at Awei Police Outpost in Alebtong District, authorities have said.

The deceased, identified by police as Ronald Odongo, is a resident of Anoki village, Owalo Parish, Awei Sub-County in Alebtong District.

It’s alleged that Odongo was on September 6, 2024 taken to Awei Police Outpost by local authorities led by John Ekwaro on account that he had taken poison on intent to die upon realizing that his wife was cheating on him.

North Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson SP Jimmy Patrick Okema told journalists that Odongo was later rushed to a health facility and “rescued.”

“However, he continued threatening to carry on with the plan of committing suicide thus he was detained and a case of attempted suicide preferred against him at Awei Police Outpost,” Okema said.

“The following day he was escorted for a long call in the morning and later given meals at 2:30pm. Surprisingly, our police officers were shocked to find that Odongo was hanging dead in the cell,” he added.

Police believe Odongo could have used a string from his short to commit suicide.

According to Okema, police officers from Alebtong Central Police Station (CPS) were informed and a team led by the District Police Commander (DPC) immediately rushed to the crime scene.

 “The scene of crime was examined and documented by our scene of crime officers. The body was picked and conveyed to Alebtong Health Center IV where postmortem was conducted on Sudnay and the body handed over to the family for burial,” he noted.

“The doctor confirmed that Odongo committed suicide since his windpipe was blocked. The exhibits of the string were removed, some chemical substances which he had taken earlier on were also picked and are to be taken to the forensic laboratory for analysis,” he added.