Case against suspected killer house help stalls

Jackline Auma in a Kisumu court on September 25, 2018. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

The hearing of a case in which a Ugandan house help was accused of murdering her employer and her child failed to take place.

The prosecution told Justice Fred Ochieng that the investigating officer who is key to the proceedings was unavailable.

In the suit, Jackline Auma is accused of killing Elizabeth Achieng and her son Benedict Okoth on June 6 last year at Shauri Yako in Muhoroni town, Kisumu County.

She is said to have stabbed them several times. She also allegedly strangled the baby.

In November last year, the husband of the slain woman narrated to the court how the incident devastated him.

Evans Okoth, a medic, recounted how he unsuccessfully tried to reach his wife on the phone the day she was murdered, only to learn that she had been killed.

Another witness who aso testified in the case implicated Auma who was denied bond.

Pricilla Otieno, a neighbour, said Auma and Achieng’ argued the evening before the death.

When she went to the house the suspect told her all was fine.

“She told me Achieng’ had left her with the child”.

The hearing was pushed to March 14.