Man jailed 40 years for killing ENT doctor

Lira, Uganda | URN | The High Court in Lira has sentenced a 32 years- old man for the murder of Dr. Wilfred Olila, a senior Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist.

Paul Mugerwa, a resident of Mbale who was arrested alongside six other suspects, on February 2026 pleaded guilty to the charges of murder and aggravated robbery and was on 3rd March convicted on his own plea of guilt.

Mugerwa on Monday 13th April appeared before Lady Justice Sarah Birungi Kalibbala, the Lira High Court Judge who sentenced him to 40 years for murder and 20 years for aggravated robbery. The sentences will run concurrently after deducting the period spent on remand.

Justice Birungi explained that court has considered the constitutional sentencing guidelines for course of indicator, practice, direction, state, and team specified at that schedule where sentencing first for the offense of murder and aggravatted  robbery is provided as a starting point to give that ideas.

She however, argued that the convict terminated the life of a very important person in the community, who was also a lecturer at the University whose unlawful death should be punished.

Prosecution had asked court to give a direct sentence that should teach a message to others, proposing a constitutional sentence of 30 years.

Earlier, defense counsel had proposed a correction and dismissal of the convict on grounds that he is a first time offender with no previous conviction, capable of reforming, being a young adult at a productive age. “He deserves an opportunity to reform,” he argued.

Adding that the convict also have a young family.

On Friday January 17th 2025, Lango awoke to the sad news about the passing of Dr. Wilfred Olila, a senior ENT specialist and lecturer at Soroti University.His body was discovered dumped along Otuboi- Abalanga road in Kalaki district.

Iinitially, police had arrested 11 Suspects in connection with the murder but released seven after failing to link them to the crime.

On February 13, 2025, four other suspects Joe George Okello (37), Steven Kelama (20), Joseph Okabo (29), and Jonathan Omara (34) were charged with murder and remanded to Lira Main Prison while another suspect, Andrew Okello (33), was later produced in court.

In March 2025, another suspect Alex Itonge a staff of Jubilee Insurance- Mbale Branch, and a student at Uganda Christian University was also arrested in connection with the case.

However, most of the suspects were released, while Joel George Okello, Paul Mugerwa, Athanasius Kawuki and Alex ltonge remained to face trial on charges of murder aggravated robbery.