Bukedea Mob Assaults Grandmother Over Illegal Exhumation Attempt

Violence erupted in Kidongole Sub-County, Bukedea District, after residents confronted an attempted exhumation of a grave, leaving a grandmother critically injured and triggering a police investigation. The incident occurred in Kanyanga village, where the community of about 200 people reportedly turned on Jesca Akwi after she was accused of attempting to exhume the body of her grandson, John Sale, 16 months after his burial.

Sale died in February 2025 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident along the Soroti–Motoro road and was buried near his home following a community-organised funeral. Tensions escalated on June 17, 2026, after Akwi allegedly travelled to Bukedea town and purchased a new casket without informing community members. Her return with the casket raised suspicion, prompting questions from residents.

The situation worsened when members of her family confronted her, leading to the discovery that she had allegedly begun digging up the grave. Samuel Oriebo, a relative of the deceased, said around 200 villagers gathered to question her intentions. According to Oriebo, Akwi explained that she had a dream suggesting her grandson was unhappy with the original burial arrangements and needed a new casket and burial location.

“The community was shocked by Akwi’s intentions and actions, which were unprecedented in their village,” Oriebo said. As tensions rose, some community members assaulted her while demanding explanations. She was reportedly forced into the new casket she had brought before being taken toward a nearby swamp area, where she was further attacked.

Simon Akol, the LC1 Chairperson of Kanyanga village, said Akwi was critically injured during the incident. “The police have picked up her body in critical condition, and she has been taken to Bukedea Health Center IV for treatment,” Akol added.

The South Kyoga Regional Police have not yet issued an official statement, though investigations into the incident are ongoing. It is important to note that exhumation of bodies in Uganda is strictly regulated and is illegal without a court order or written authorization from relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Health.

Ugandan law presumes that a decently buried body should remain undisturbed, with exhumations permitted only in exceptional circumstances such as criminal investigations or public infrastructure development-URN.

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