‎Soroti High Court Acquits 3 Accused of Murdering Joan Faith Apio

Soroti High Court has acquitted three suspects accused of murdering Joan Faith Apio, a pupil of Jozan Nursery and Primary School, who was found murdered in a school latrine on February 5, 2025.

The three individuals, including headteacher James Edoket, school cook Valentine Opio, and school matron Osula Adong, were acquitted after Justice Boniface Wamala, the resident judge of Soroti High Court, stated that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence linking the accused to the murder of Apio.

The court found that the school directors, Suzan Vivian Ariokot, Joseph Okedi, and police officer John Bosco Obotol, actively participated in the murder of Apio.

Justice Wamala noted that the prosecution managed to present eleven witnesses who testified against all six accused in the case. However, after analyzing the evidence, it was concluded that there was nothing linking the trio to the murder of Apio.

“The prosecution’s evidence stated that Edoket was charged due to his participation in breaking the latrine padlock where Apio was found and taking her body to the hospital. In his defense, he told the court that he was at the school during the fateful day, helping the school bursar when the incident occurred. He ran with Okedi with the iron bar which was used to break the latrine padlock as he was assisting to pick Apio from the latrine,” Justice Wamala explained.

Justice Wamala also highlighted that Edoket, along with Okedi and Osula, assisted Apio when she was taken to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital before Edoket was arrested and detained.

“It is clear from the prosecution’s evidence that Edoket had no role or plan in the execution of the deceased’s murder. There is no evidence that he was part of forming common intentions. Therefore, Edoket is not linked to the murder of Apio either directly or with common intentions,” he stated.

Turning to Opio, Justice Wamala noted that the prosecution’s evidence against him stemmed from Ariokot’s claim that Opio had useful information regarding Apio’s murder.

“During the prosecution’s presentation, no such evidence was discovered by either the police or Ariokot. Undisputed evidence indicated that when the school was temporarily closed, Opio was instructed by Ariokot to take her daughter home, which he did. He was paid as a boda boda rider. In his defense, Opio stated that he worked as a school cook and also rode a boda boda. On the day of the incident, he worked as usual and left school at 2 PM to continue with his boda boda business. After learning of the incident, he returned to school around 11 PM, where he met the security guard who informed him about Apio’s body being found in the latrine, and he was rushed to the hospital.

Justice Wamala concluded that there was no material linking Opio to the murder of Apio, and the prosecution failed to prove his involvement in the murder.‎

Regarding Osula, Justice Wamala pointed out that the prosecution’s evidence alleged that she, as a school matron, sold the knife used in the murder to a juvenile who then took it to Ariokot.

” According to the juvenile, she paid Osula one thousand shillings for the knife, but Osula insisted the knife was two thousand shillings. When the juvenile mentioned that she was sent by the director’s wife, Osula laughed and handed over the knife. Further evidence showed that the knife had been brought by Okedi to the canteen without Osula’s knowledge”.

Justice Wamala also stated that Osula had only recently been recruited to the school and had worked for only one week and eight days.

“The prosecution evidence confirmed that the knives were not included in her list of items to be purchased for the canteen. Osula explained that her laughter when handing over the knife was directed towards other pupils present, and this explanation was uncontested by the prosecution”.

Justice Wamala emphasized that, in the absence of any evidence, it cannot be presumed that Osula knew or was part of any plot to kill Apio. “In any circumstances, Osula has not been linked by any evidence to the killing of Apio either directly or by common intention. Her participation in the murder of Apio has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt,” he stated.

The judge therefore declared that there were no ingredients of murder against Opio, Osula, and Edoket. “In agreement with the opinion from the court assessors, I find Ariokot, Okedi, and Obotol guilty of the offense of murder and I convict each accordingly.”

Defense lawyers Francis Ajuun and Joseph Odong requested the court to be lenient in its conviction. “Court should discharge justice even if the heavens fall,” Ajuun pleaded before Justice Wamala.

The prosecutors requested the court to adjourn before delivering the judgment to allow them time to analyze the case and make appropriate submissions.