Police in Kyoga East have spoken out about the Sunday morning alleged assault of the Reformed Anglican Church (RAC) priest Sam Osire of Ajeluk in Mukura sub-county.

A statement issued on Monday morning indicates that Police have arrested four people over the assault of the man of God.

It's alleged that on Sunday, the Rev. Sam Osire, while at his home in Ajeluk village, was attacked by a group of people wielding sticks, pangas, knives and axes who assaulted him together with the wife of the lay leader.

The attackers also damaged the house of the priest before arresting him and taking him to the Police. However, at the Police station, the persons who had illegally arrested the priest without recourse to the law, were themselves arrested and detained as suspects in the matter. 

East Kyoga region Police spokesman Oscar Ageca identified those in custody as Dan Okiror, the National world kickboxing federation champion aka Power Mike; Emmanuel Opade; Sam Okello and John Oba, a civil engineer. All the suspects are Kumi district residents.

Ageca said they are investigating a case of alleged criminal trespass, malicious damage and assault that occurred on Sunday at about 04:00 am. The matter was registered under Ngora vide SD Ref: 03/12/03/2023.

The attackers claimed that they were evicting the priest from the church of Uganda (COU) house with the allegations that since he was no longer a member of the COU-Kumi Diocese.  

“We also have impounded a motor vehicle tipper [truck] white in colour registration number: UAF 872Y that was used by this group of people which belongs to COU-Kumi Diocese and subjected the victim who had a deep cut wound on the head to Medical examination,” Ageca said.

Rev. Sam Osire was assaulted by a group of four people

“We would like to remind Christians of the Church of Uganda-Kumi Diocese and Reformed Anglicans that Uganda is a country of religious tolerance. The recourse to religion has to be reconciled with the principles of democracy and human rights,” Ageca said.

Origin of the problem

RAC broke away from COU last year following the cancellation of the Rev. Charles Oode Okunya’s election as the second bishop of Kumi Diocese in 2019 after it was ascertained that he had forged his year of birth (from 1975 to 1970) to bring himself in the constitutional and canonical age bracket which he had not attained.

Okunya, who was last year consecrated as the bishop of Upper Nile Diocese under RAC, served for 16 years in Kumi COU.

His bid for courts of law to save him from securing the juicy job hit a dead end when the Commercial Court in Kampala dismissed the case paving the way for the election of the Rev. Michael Okwii Esakah, who was in March last year consecrated and enthroned as Kumi Diocese bishop.