The defence of six people accused of murdering seven-year-old Joan Faith Apio has received a boost after the High Court in Soroti ordered the production of CCTV footage that the accused say could support their case. Justice Boniface Wamala directed that CCTV footage from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital and the Soroti branch of Pride Bank be produced after school directors Suzan Vivian Ariokot and Joseph Okedi argued that the recordings contain crucial evidence showing their whereabouts on the day the Primary One pupil was killed.
Joan Faith Apio, a pupil at Jozan Nursery and Primary School, was found dead in the school’s latrine on February 5, 2025. The court earlier ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring all six accused to defend themselves. The accused are school directors Joseph Okedi and Suzan Vivian Ariokot, headteacher James Edoket, school cook Valentine Opio, school matron Osula Adong and police officer John Bosco Obotol. All have denied the murder charge.
While giving her defence, Ariokot told the court she was at Pride Bank applying for a top-up loan when the incident occurred and only learnt about it after receiving a phone call from her husband. She further alleged that after her arrest on February 11, 2025, police confiscated her three mobile phones, which she said were linked to CCTV cameras at her business premises, making it impossible for her to retrieve footage that could support her defence.
Ariokot also accused security personnel of violating her rights during detention. “When they arrested me, the police took my three phones… They later drove me to Serere CPS where my face was tied, and I was tortured… but I kept telling them the truth that I don’t even know who Apio is,” she told court. She maintained that Pride Bank was willing to provide CCTV footage confirming she was at the bank when the murder occurred.
Similarly, Okedi asked the court to allow access to CCTV footage from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, arguing it would contradict testimony by a prosecution witness who claimed he described the incident as an accident upon arriving at the hospital. According to Okedi, he rushed Apio to the hospital immediately after pupils and school matron Osula Adong alerted him that she had been found unconscious in the school latrine. The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the defence had known about the trial schedule and had ample time to secure the evidence before the defence hearing began.
State prosecutors accused the defence of introducing the request late in an attempt to delay the trial and prolong the suffering of the victim’s family. However, Justice Wamala ruled that the accused must be given a fair opportunity to present their defence. He ordered Pride Bank and Soroti Regional Referral Hospital to produce CCTV footage covering February 5, 2025, saying the recordings should be submitted promptly while the remaining defence witnesses testify.
The judge noted that allowing the defence to obtain the footage would not prejudice the proceedings and directed that no unnecessary delays should arise from the exercise. Only the two school directors have completed presenting their defence. The remaining four accused are expected to testify when the trial resumes. The case was adjourned to August 6, 2026-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
