By Our Reporter
Lira-based street preacher Jorom Opio who was recently accused of recruiting Ugandan youth into the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement -in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) has taken his own life.
According to Media sources, Opio is widely believed to have taken a liquid toxin on Friday at his home in Junior Quarters in Adyel Division, Lira Municipality which caused his death.
“He returned home on Thursday night unusually drunk and I heard him call one of his sisters and told her that he was meant to go for a long journey,”Opio’s wife, Ms Lucy Jorom told a local media outlet.
Although she did not bother to clarify on her husband’s journey, Ms Jorom said she got a call from neighbours who demanded her to rush home at around 1:00 pm since her husband was in a critical state.
“At 2PM we arrived her at the hospital but we couldn’t help anymore as he was pronounced dead by medics three hours later,” she said.
Ms Jorom was quoted as saying since her husband’s release from military detention, he has been living a solitary life but could not explain the cause of his suicide.
Media reported in March that security operatives have arrested the preacher in the northern district of Lira for allegedly conscripting Ugandan youth into the South Sudanese rebel movement which was fighting to topple the government of President Salva Kiir at that time.
Lam Gabriel, SPLA-IO deputy military spokesperson, later said in a statement that the rebel group does not enroll foreign fighters into its ranks.
Lam said the suspect is not in the SPLA-IO ranks or files, adding that the group value Uganda’s role in hosting South Sudanese refugees and for supporting the latest peace efforts aimed at ending the ongoing civil war.
“SPLA-IO does not recruit foreigners nor does it operate abroad. The South Sudanese, who joined the SPLA-IO do so voluntarily to bring about reforms to South Sudan. This requires personal sacrifice,” Gabriel said that time.
Jorom was then freed after spending nearly two months in UPDF detention. Ever since he came back, he lived a low profile life and did not offer any interview to the media.
At the time of his death, he was reportedly renting a house behind the chambers of lawyer Stella Acan of Acan & Company Advocates.
