Four Charged with the Murder of Dr. Olila

BY BOBSON OPIO

LIRA, Uganda – The High Court in Lira has heard the shocking details of the alleged murder of a 73-year-old doctor, as four men appeared in court facing charges of murder and aggravated robbery. In a dramatic turn of events, one of the accused has pleaded guilty.

Mugerwa Paul, a 31-year-old insurance marketer, was the first to be arraigned before Justice Sarah Birungi Kyalibala on Wednesday. In a surprise move, Mugerwa pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and aggravated robbery in connection with the death of Dr. Olila Wilfred, a physician at New Moroto Nursing Home.

The court was told that Mugerwa, alongside his co-accused, Okello George (36), Kawuki Athanasius (33), and Itonge Alex (25) , as well as others still at large, meticulously planned and executed a fatal attack on the elderly doctor.

According to the indictment presented by the prosecution, on the evening of January 17, 2025, Dr. Olila left his workplace on a boda boda without telling his family where he was going. His body was discovered the next morning in Ongulai Village, Kalaki District, with his hands and legs bound with sisal ropes and his head covered in plaster.

A post-mortem examination conducted at Kaberamaido General Hospital revealed a horrifying attack. The doctor had suffered a stab wound to the lip, multiple abrasions, and bruising on his neck. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to manual strangulation, consistent with a homicidal assault.

The prosecution's summary of the case outlines a complex plot involving a fake meeting, a hired car, and a fraudulently obtained SIM card.

Investigators tracked the last phone number that communicated with Dr. Olila (0769338956). This led them to a man named Okot Quinto, who denied any knowledge of the number. His information pointed police to Okello George (A1), a businessman who allegedly registered the SIM card without Quinto's consent.

Prosecutors allege that on the day of the murder, Okello gave the SIM card to Itonge Alex (A4). It is further alleged that Itonge, alongside Mugerwa Paul (A2) and two others still at large, used that number to call and lure Dr. Olila to Lira Hotel.

The court was also told that Mugerwa had been in communication with the deceased days before the murder, even visiting his clinic under the guise of assessing it for insurance patients. On the day of the killing, Mugerwa hired a car in Mbale City and traveled to Lira with his accomplices. On the way, he received money from Kawuki Athanasius (A3) to facilitate their mission.

The second count of the indictment details the aggravated robbery, alleging that the group robbed Dr. Olila of an unspecified amount of cash and a mobile phone. Crucially, it states that during the robbery, they were in possession of sisal ropes, plaster, a knife, and chloroform, and that they caused the death of the doctor.

Kawuki Athanasius faces a separate charge of being an accessory after the fact to murder. It is alleged that after the killing, Kawuki advised Mugerwa to flee to Gomba District to avoid arrest.

Following Mugerwa Paul's guilty plea, Senior RSA Jonathan Okello requested a harsh sentence of 30 years for each crime. However, Mugerwa's lawyer, Everest Mugaga, pleaded for leniency, asking for an 18-year sentence on the grounds that his client did not waste the court's time and had shown remorse.

Justice Sarah Birungi Kyalibala has ordered the Lira City Probation Officer and the Community Development Officer (CDO) to prepare a crime effect report before March 19, 2026. Mugerwa Paul has been remanded into custody, and the case against him and his three co-accused is set for mention on March 20, 2026.