Soroti High Court on Thursday sentenced Suzan Vivian Ariokot, one of the proprietors of Jozan Nursery and Primary School to life imprisonment for the ritual sacrifice of Joan Faith Apio, a pupil who was found murdered at the school on February 5, 2025.
Suzan Vivian Ariokot, her husband Joseph Okedi, and police officer John Bosco Obotol were convicted and sentenced after Justice Boniface Wamala, the resident judge of Soroti High Court, found them guilty of sacrificing Apio for ritual purposes.
On February 2025, Ariokot, Okedi, Obotol, school cook Valentine Opio, school matron Osula Adong, head teacher James Edoket, and two juveniles identified only as A6 and A7 were held on accusations of murdering Apio.
The prosecution team, led by Senior State Attorney Doreen Adero, along with Paul Okello (State Attorney), Rebecca Okaje (Chief State Attorney), and Gladys Macrina Nyanzi(Assistant DPP), presented eleven witnesses alongside exhibits that demonstrated the brutality of Apio’s murder.
The prosecution focused heavily on the testimonies of the juveniles, A6 and A7, who pleaded guilty before the court. They were subsequently convicted and discharged, after which they became key prosecution witnesses.
A6 testified that on the day Apio was murdered, she had gone to the latrine when she encountered Ariokot, who instructed her to go to the dormitory and bring one of the twins to meet her father, Obotol, who was standing outside the school fence.
“When I brought Apio, she took her and entered the school latrine with her. I hid in the boy’s latrine when I heard loud screaming from Apio. I shouted, ‘Jesus!’ and Ariokot came out, took me into the toilet, and ordered me never to tell anyone or she would kill me like Apio. She then sent me to the school canteen to buy a cutter knife, which I brought to her, and she cut Apio’s throat to make it wider before she picked certain things from Apio’s throat, put them in a black polythene bag, and handed it over to Obotol,” A6 told the court.
A7, who is Ariokot and Okedi’s daughter, noted that later that evening, her mother Ariokot and Obotol returned to the school after the incident and confessed to her that she had killed Apio.
“She warned me not to tell anyone and gave me the latrine keys to throw,” A6 revealed.
The prosecution also presented two postmortem reports, DNA evidence linking A6 to the murder, and a green cutter knife recovered from the crime scene.
Based on the evidence presented, the court determined that there was insufficient evidence linking Osula, Edoket, and Opio to the murder.
Justice Wamala acquitted them and convicted Ariokot, Okedi, and Obotol.
The prosecution requested a life sentence for the three convicted of murder, emphasizing the calculated nature of the crime.
“The deceased was an innocent five-year-old child who was enrolled by her parents to enjoy her rights to education. Apio’s life was cut short by the convicts, and we believe that Apio’s killing was motivated by ritual sacrifice and material gains. Instead of protecting her, the convicts decided to turn their educational facility into a slaughterhouse.
Okedi purchased the cutter knife, which Ariokot and Obotol used for slaughtering Apio. The offense of human sacrifice is punishable by death according to the Penal Act,” Adero noted.
She described Apio’s murder as particularly gruesome, stating that the postmortem report confirmed that her neck had been severely cut.
“The convict slaughtered Apio in a very painful way, as if she was slaughtering a chicken, not a human being, depriving her of all her rights. This was not a sudden happening but an intentional and well-premeditated act,” Adero pointed out.
”Parents surrender their children to school under the presumption of their safety. It is evident that the convicts attempted to interfere with the investigation of the case. Murders are rampant in this jurisdiction, and this court should send a clear message to others who might consider similar actions,” Adero added.
Defense lawyers on state brief, Francis Ajum and Joseph Odong, requested a lenient sentence, arguing that the convicts had shown remorse, had no prior convictions, and had families to support.
Justice Wamala remarked that this was a “rare case of the rare,” which allows the court to impose either the death penalty or life imprisonment if the offense was planned and the victim unlawfully killed.
“I have taken into account the gravity of the offense of murder, the aggravating and mitigating factors presented by both parties. I have considered the horrific and inhumane conduct of Ariokot, who initially slit the deceased’s throat using the cutter knife. Afterward, she sent a fourteen-year-old to buy a new cutter knife. When the knife was brought, Ariokot enlarged the throat and pushed her hand into the victim’s throat, pulling out some tissues which she put in the polythene bag and handed to Obotol,” Justice Wamala outlined.
He emphasized the unimaginable gruesomeness of the act, particularly as it was committed by a mother.
According to the first postmortem report, the deceased had a deep cut on the neck, with the trachea, esophagus, and blood vessels completely severed.
The fracture of a bone connected to the muscle was noted, and the cause of death was excessive bleeding.
“The four muscles that assist in swallowing were missing, and parts of the bone connecting the neck to the ear were absent. The upper part of the trachea was missing as well. The vessels that transport blood to the heart had been separated,” Justice Wamala stated.
He disclosed that evidence indicated Ariokot had expertise in committing such acts.
“The question is how she managed to slice a person’s neck and remove such tissues in one go. Was this her first time doing such an act, and if not caught, would this have been her last?” Justice Wamala questioned.
Regarding Obotol, Justice Wamala noted that he provided the cutter knife and the polythene bag and he was handed parts that were removed from the victim’s throat.
“Obotol’s liability is heightened by the fact that he is a police officer at the level of detective corporal. I can only imagine the damage he has inflicted on the general public before being apprehended. He attempted to use his position to interfere with the investigation by requesting police to allow Okedi to return to his shop, even though evidence showed that Okedi had no shop to close, as it belonged to Ariokot. The fact that Obotol was present at the crime scene when he was not deployed there to guard or be part of the investigation team significantly complicates his case,” Justice Wamala said.
He clarified that while Okedi did not actively participate in the murder, his involvement in planning the execution was significant.
“As the director of the school and a father to young children, it was grossly inappropriate for you to allow participation in such an evil act”.
The offense has instilled great fear and trauma not only in the family of the deceased but in the entire community, as it highlights the severity of child abuse—murdering a five-year-old is an abhorrent act. The conduct displayed by Ariokot and Obotol towards the juveniles was particularly alarming.
“Child sacrifice should have no place in this country or the world. The convicts deserve a deterrent sentence that sends a message to the public against such heinous acts,” Justice Wamala concluded.
He sentenced Ariokot to life imprisonment, Obotol to 45 years, and Okedi to 35 years.
After deducting the time spent on remand, Obotol will serve 43 years, 5 months, and 29 days, while Okedi will serve 33 years, 5 month, and 29 days-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
