Student shot in Apac school protest

One student is nursing injuries in hospital after he was shot by police deployed to disperse a protest at Apac Seed Secondary School in Apac District.

Walter Alele, 19, was reportedly hit in both legs as he tried to flee the school upon the arrival of police officers who were deployed to contain the rowdy students during the Tuesday protest.

He was discovered bleeding in a nearby bush by fellow students and rushed to Apac Nursing Home, a private health facility in Apac Municipality, where he is currently receiving medical treatment.

Students staged a protest at the government-owned school located in Apac Sub County in the wee hours of Tuesday after the institution’s management suspended one of their colleagues for allegedly missing a morning parade.
“He was trying to get home and the stray bullet got him in the bush. So, I am informing the parents that the police did not intend to shoot him, and I’m praying for his quick recovery,” the school head teacher, Mr James Akeba told this publication on Wednesday evening.

The District Police Commander, Mr Rogers Kapere, confirmed the shooting saying some indisciplined students tried to attack police, prompting them to fire bullets in the air.
“They were pelting stones at the police. So, what happened is that we tried to fire a few bullets in the air as a way of trying to disperse them. The next morning, we got the news that one of the students was injured by the stray bullets,” he said.

Alele’s father, Mr Jimmy Francis Ojwang, has asked the school to pay for his injured son’s medical expenses.

“My son was shot when he was at school and I am now demanding that the school should come out and help us in paying the costs of treating him,” he said.