The Human Rights Tribunal in Soroti has granted Phylis Chepkwemoi Shs 60 million in compensation after her husband, Gilbert Cherotwo, was tortured to death by Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) soldiers in 2004.
Chepkwemoi, a resident of Kapsiywo village in Bukwo district, pursued justice after her husband was brutally assaulted for over two hours by 17 soldiers who accused him of illegally possessing a firearm.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Group and Receive Daily News
On the tragic day, Cherotwo was working in his garden when armed soldiers arrived, ordered him to sit down, and repeatedly beat him with heavy sticks while demanding he surrender a gun. Despite his denials, the soldiers persisted before taking him to Seredet detachment and later to Bukwo hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries within hours.
In her complaint, filed under case number SRT/229/2006, Chepkwemoi argued that her husband’s unlawful killing was a violation of his right to life. She emphasized that the soldiers were acting in their official capacity, making the government responsible for his death.
A key piece of evidence considered by the tribunal was a letter dated January 20, 2006, from the Kapchorwa district police commander (DPC) to the regional head of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) in Soroti. The letter confirmed that Cherotwo had been arrested and tortured by UPDF soldiers and the anti-stock theft unit on November 4, 2004.
The tribunal also acknowledged that the murder investigation led to the arrest and prosecution of two soldiers, Pte Emaru George and Pte Alfred Asinge, before the 3rd Division Court Martial in Mbale.
In its ruling, the tribunal strongly condemned the soldiers’ actions, emphasizing the brutality of Cherotwo’s final moments.
“He was viciously and brutally beaten by 17 UPDF soldiers. They were a lynch mob!” stated UHRC Commissioner Crispin Kaheru while delivering the verdict.
The tribunal also criticized the soldiers for disregarding the testimony of LC I chairman Gilbert Chepnoyen, who had assured them that Cherotwo did not own a firearm. Instead, they acted on a false and malicious tipoff from an angry creditor seeking revenge against Cherotwo.
“The demand for a gun he never had was horrifying and nightmarish,” the ruling stated. “The soldiers should have listened to LC I chairman Gilbert Chepnoyen, who confirmed Cherotwo’s innocence. Instead, they dismissed him and acted on a malicious report from Cherotwo’s angry creditor.”
Cherotwo’s case is among 18 matters being addressed by the UHRC Tribunal in Soroti over four days. In the morning session, the tribunal also awarded compensation to two other victims of torture—David Olobo from Kamuda in Soroti, who received Shs 10 million, and Lawrence Ojur from Katakwi district, who was awarded Shs 4 million.
Also Read: Authorities Launch Investigations as Anthrax Kills Two in Kazo
