Police are holding a 37-year-old security guard accused of beating his girlfriend to death with a rifle butt at Shine Petrol Station in Layibi on Tuesday night.
The suspect, Okonye Albert of 7 Guidance Security Company, allegedly killed Akello Barbra Faith during a quarrel at around 11:20 pm on April 29, 2026.
According to Aswa West Police PRO ASP Ongom David Mudong, the incident happened while Okonye and his colleague Jimmy Omara were on duty. Akello had come to visit Okonye when she received a phone call from an unknown man, sparking an argument.
“The suspect, who was armed with a gun, repeatedly hit the deceased on the head using the gun butt,” Mudong said. When Omara tried to intervene, Okonye allegedly threatened to shoot him. Omara fled for his safety.
Okonye reportedly continued assaulting Akello, smashing her head and killing her instantly. He then abandoned the SMG rifle with a broken butt and fled the scene.
The station manager, awakened by the noise, saw a woman’s body outside the petrol station compound and alerted her boss and police.
Officers led by the DPC visited the scene. SOCO documented it and recovered the rifle among other forensic exhibits. The body was taken to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for a postmortem.
Okonye was later traced and arrested.
“We condemn the violent action taken by the guard to commit murder resulting from a simple domestic misunderstanding which could have been resolved through dialogue,” Mudong said.
Police opened a murder case under Gulu Central Business Policing Division. The file will be sent to the Resident City Attorney for legal guidance before Okonye is taken to court.
