By Witness Radio Team
Epronanci Eden’s prayers have finally been answered after her daughter-in-law was arrested and arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Oyam District for assaulting her over land.
The court convicted and sentenced Joy Amolo to a caution, but the real victory for the 85-year-old widow was the return of her grabbed land.
The widow, the sole surviving child of her late father Okello Adong, had inherited a 50-acre large piece of land in Adebe Cell, Western Ward, Kamdini Town Council in Oyam District along the Gulu-Kampala Highway.
Blessed with 15 children, the mother had given portions of the land to her six surviving children, including five girls and one boy. However, the third last born child named Lawrence Opio, had become greedy and grabbed part of the land, thinking his mother was too old to fight back.
“I inherited a large piece of land in Kamdini Town Council along Gulu-Kampala Highway. Of course, I got married and produced 15 children, including eight boys and seven girls. When my husband, who was a soldier called Charles Edonga died several years ago, I decided to return to my father’s land,” says Eden.
Eden’s children grew up in Kamdini and the widow had given them portions of land where they could survive.
“But as they grew and became adults, my only surviving son became big-headed and he wanted now to own everything seeing that I’m already too old to face him,” says the widow, adding that she went through a lot of violence which was being perpetrated by both her son and the daughter-in-law.
With the help of the local leaders, the widow lodged a complaint at Kamdini Police Station in July 2024.
In August 2024, police leadership in Kamdini then referred the case to Redeem International, a nonprofit organisation that partners with local law enforcement to prevent violence and exploitation against widows, widowers and orphans.
“When we accepted the case in March this year and took it over, we supported the police in their investigations and in the process of the investigations, we found that the widow was assaulted by her daughter-in-law. Her son also took some pieces of land that belonged to the widow and he also started the process of titling the land in his name,” says Counsel Prossy Akello, an attorney working with Redeem International.
“So, when the mother objected, that is when now the son’s wife – the daughter-in-law – ended up beating her (Eden).”
In September 2025, Eden’s daughter-in-law was arrested for assault and occasioning bodily harm. She was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Oyam where she pleaded guilty as charged.
But then the clan leaders requested the trial magistrate to allow them first to mediate the matter since it was coming out as a result of a land dispute.
Counsel Akello says the parties were referred for mediation. “On October 13, 2025, we came on the ground. We called the children of the widow plus the widow; the clan leaders were there. So, during the mediation, they agreed that yes, the widow was assaulted and the daughter-in-law actually asked for forgiveness,” said the lawyer.
The widow said she forgave her daughter-in-law. “I asked her to give me Shs300,000 UGX about 83.46 USD which I had spent on medical bills and she accepted. My son also agreed to return the three and half acres of land that he had earlier grabbed from me,” said the widow.
At this point, a team of lawyers at Redeem International, Lira Field Office, wrote to the Lira Zonal Lands office to stop the process of titling the land in Opio’s name.
“So, when we went back to court on December 10, 2025, of course, the daughter-in-law pleaded guilty and then she was convicted on her own plea and sentenced to a caution,” Counsel Akello says.
She adds: “And of course, she was cautioned not to come back and again disturb the mother-in-law and on December 18, 2025, we restored her back to the land.”
The widow is now overjoyed, grateful for the justice served and the return of her rightful property.
Nonetheless, the incident highlights the challenges faced by elderly parents in Uganda, who are often vulnerable to land grabbing by their own children. The widow’s courage in seeking justice and the swift action by the authorities have sent a strong message that such injustices will not be tolerated. The widow can now live out her remaining years in peace, knowing her land is secure.
