By Admin
LIRA — The High Court in Lira has sentenced Innocent Otim to 35 years in prison for the murder of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) employee, Natal Alaru, in a case that shocked residents of Lira City West Division.
The sentence was handed down by Resident Judge Justice Sarah Birungi Kalibala after Otim pleaded guilty to the charge, bringing the trial to an early conclusion.
Court records indicate that the murder occurred in the early hours of April 2, 2025, at around 3:00 a.m. in Obutowelo B Cell. The deceased, Natal Alaru, was heading to Lira Bus Park to travel to Moyo District when he was attacked.
Prosecution told court that Otim assaulted Alaru using a panga, inflicting fatal head injuries. Neighbors rushed the victim to Lira Regional Referral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police investigations later uncovered strong forensic and physical evidence linking Otim to the crime. A blood-stained panga recovered from his residence was confirmed by the Government Analytical Laboratory to be the murder weapon.
Investigators also recovered two backpacks from an unfinished house near the suspect’s home. The bags contained the deceased’s personal belongings, including clothes, a national identity card, a driving permit, and ATM cards.
The prosecution, led by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Okello from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, presented testimony from 10 witnesses before the court ruled that Otim had a case to answer.
It was at that stage that the accused changed his plea and admitted to the murder.
The late Natal Alaru had recently secured employment with NWSC in Lira. He is survived by his widow, whom he had recently married, and their one-and-a-half-year-old son.
The sentencing brings closure to the case, while serving as a warning against violent crime in the community.
