IGP Ochola orders for Postmortem to establish cause of Gen Lokech’s death

“With deep sorrow I regret to announce the sudden death of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Major General Paul Lokech. I have tasked the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Moses Byaruhanga to carry out postmortem to establish the cause of death” Ochola tweeted on Saturday.

While the country awaits an official word on the cause of Lokech’s death, numerous stories indicate he died of a blood clot.

The Director of Medical Services, Dr. Moses Byaruhanga, has been assigned by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Okoth Ochola to conduct a postmortem on the late deputy IGP Maj Gen Paul Lokech, who died unexpectedly on Saturday.

As the country waits for an official declaration on the cause of Lokech’s death, dubbed the “Lion of Mogadishu,” stories of the cause of Lokech’s death have begun to surface, with many claiming he died of a blood clot.

Lokech is the second military general officer to pass away in less than a week, following Gen Pecos Kutesa, who died in India after undergoing a liver transplant.

President Museveni removed Maj. Gen. Muzeeyi Sabiiti from the same position in December 2020, and Gen. Lokech was appointed deputy Inspector General.

In December 2020, IGP Okoth Ochola (L) gave his late Deputy Maj Gen Paul Lokech a tour of Naguru Police. Photo/Courtesy

Maj Gen Lokech formerly served in South Sudan, where he was stationed in November 2019 to oversee the South Sudan peace process, as well as the assembling, screening, demobilization, and integration of the country’s military forces on behalf of the guarantors.

When he was commander of the UPDF detachment in Somalia from 2011 to 2012, Lokech was one of the leaders credited with breaking the back of Al-Shabaab insurgents.

The then-Brigadier Lokech was dubbed the “Lion of Mogadishu” for his unrelenting fight against Al-Shabaab terrorists and the capture of important historical sites such as the Red Mosque in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.