The Soroti High Court has set July 27 and July 29, 2026 for plea proceedings in the murder case of five-year-old Joan Faith Apio, with the trial expected to commence immediately after the accused take plea. Eight suspects are facing trial over Apio’s death. They include Jozan Nursery and Primary School directors Joseph Okedi and Suzan Vivian Ariokot Okedi, headteacher James Edoket, police officer John Bosco Obotol, school cook Valentine Opio, school matron Osula Adong, and two juveniles.
The hearing dates were agreed during a security planning meeting held at Soroti High Court on Wednesday. The meeting brought together judicial officers, police, prisons officials, representatives from the Office of the Resident City Commissioner, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and defence lawyers to coordinate security and logistics for the trial.
Resident Judge Justice Boniface Wamala directed that security be reinforced throughout the proceedings, citing the sensitivity of the case and the public interest it has generated. “Security should be deployed heavily at the court premises since this case is very sensitive and to ensure that the community does not interrupt the hearing of the case,” Justice Wamala said.
He also directed that all accused persons must be physically produced in court during the proceedings instead of appearing virtually, as had happened during earlier stages of the case. Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Gladys Maccrina Nyanzi said investigations have been completed and the prosecution is ready to proceed with the trial.
She added that the victim’s family has been informed of the hearing dates and is expected to attend the proceedings. Mid-Eastern Regional Prisons Commander Emmanuel Muchunguzi said adequate security personnel would be deployed to ensure the safety of the court, the accused persons, judicial officers and members of the public.
Background
Joan Faith Apio, a Primary One pupil at Jozan Nursery and Primary School, was found dead in a staff latrine at the school on February 5, 2025. The case sparked public outrage across Soroti City. On March 6, 2025, angry residents stormed the school and set parts of it ablaze after suspects appeared before the Grade One Magistrate’s Court via Zoom instead of being physically produced.
On August 25, 2025, the Grade One Magistrate’s Court committed the eight suspects to the High Court for trial after the Director of Public Prosecutions concluded investigations. According to the prosecution’s summary of evidence, investigators allege that the crime scene was tampered with before police arrived and that several suspects attempted to conceal the circumstances surrounding Apio’s death.
The prosecution further alleges that two juvenile witnesses provided statements describing events leading up to the child’s death and that searches at the school recovered several knives with suspected blood stains. A postmortem examination concluded that Apio died after sustaining fatal cuts to the neck. All the accused deny the charges, and the High Court will determine the case after hearing evidence from both the prosecution and the defence-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
