“The postmortem report indicates that the deceased was killed before his body was suspended on the tree. The body had also been tied several times,” ASP Mukombe revealed.
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Police in Serere District have detained a primary school teacher to assist with investigations into the suspected murder of a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier whose body was found hanging from a mango tree inside a school compound.
The suspect, Mercy Iyogil, a teacher at Olio Primary School, was taken into custody following the discovery of the body of Michael Ojakol, also known as Ojakoro, a UPDF soldier attached to the 150 Artillery Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the South Kyoga Regional Police spokesperson, ASP Stephen Mukombe, Ojakol was on pass leave at his home in Agoltom Village, Serere District, when the incident occurred.
“We received a report of a suspected murder, and the Territorial Police in Serere District have commenced investigations into the death of Ojakol, a UPDF soldier who was on leave in his village,” ASP Mukombe said.
Preliminary investigations indicate that on the evening of June 2, 2026, Ojakol and his girlfriend, Iyogil, reportedly had a disagreement linked to mistrust in their relationship. The matter was taken to the head teacher’s office at Olio Primary School, where it was mediated and resolved.
Police say that after the meeting, Iyogil allegedly gave Ojakol sh100,000 to facilitate his return to his duty station. He was then believed to have left for work.
However, on June 3, 2026, Ojakol’s body was discovered hanging from a mango tree in the school gardens by a local resident, Dominique Oba. The incident was immediately reported to Serere Central Police Station.
Detectives visited the scene, documented evidence, and transported the body to Serere Hospital for a postmortem examination. Findings from the examination have raised suspicions of foul play.
“The postmortem report indicates that the deceased was killed before his body was suspended on the tree. The body had also been tied several times,” ASP Mukombe revealed.
Police have since detained Iyogil to aid ongoing investigations as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the soldier’s death.
ASP Mukombe has appealed to members of the public with information that could assist the investigation to report to Serere Central Police Station. Investigations remain ongoing.