Residents of Okile sub county in Kaberamaido district are searching for the body of a 14-year- old boy they suspect to be a victim of a crocodile attack. The teenager only identified as Okello disappeared when he went fishing at Okile landing site on Sunday evening.
Reports from Asana village indicate that Okello, who was in the company of his two peers went into the lake to cast nets in the evening. However, as they were casting the nets, a crocodile snatched Okello and dived with him into the waters.
His friends ran back home to inform his parents who rushed to the lake with the hope of finding the body in vain. Residents have since mounted a search for the body on Lake Kyoga without success. The residents spent the better part of Tuesday combing the lakeshores around Okile landing site armed with hooks, machetes and axes among others.
Other residents rowed boats in the water and cast seine nets with the hope of getting the body. Isaac Engwau Okello, the LC III chairperson of Okile sub-county said that residents for all the villages around the lakeshores had joined hands to search for the body but the absence of modern tools had limited their efforts.
He revealed that many crocodiles inhabit the area and have since killed two people. Brian Tumukunde, the Kaberamaido District Police Commander revealed that they are unable to help the residents to search for the body due to lack of expertise and equipment.
“When it comes to crocodiles, we need UWA to help. At the moment, we don’t even have a motorized boat or lifejackets to use for aiding the search”, he said.
