Soroti High Court has pardoned two juveniles who were accused of aiding the murder of Joan Faith Apio, a primary two pupil of Jozan Nursery and Primary School, found in a school latrine in 2025.
The plea taking started at midday after the suspects, who include eight individuals involved in the murder case, were presented to court.
The suspects include 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 the two juveniles.
The juveniles, both primary six pupils of Jozan, were identified as A7, the daughter of the school director, and A6, another pupil.
During the plea bargain, the adult suspects, including Okedi, Ariokot, Edoket, Obotol, and Opio, denied the murder charges that were read to them. In contrast, the juveniles consented to all the charges read to them.
According to the prosecution led by Doreen Adero, the Senior State Attorney, on that fateful day, A7 picked a toilet key from A6. A6 saw Ariokot behind the toilet with police officer Obotol. Ariokot then called A6 behind the toilet and instructed her to bring one of the twins who were both new in the school, claiming that they were going to meet their father, whom Ariokot was standing with.
It is further alleged that Ariokot instructed A6 to carry along a five-liter jerrican of water after picking one of the twins. A6 went to the dormitory and instructed Joan Faith Apio to follow her to the toilet where Ariokot was. A6 handed over Apio to Ariokot, who then told A6 to return to the dormitory.
However, becoming suspicious, A6 hid behind the boys’ toilet adjacent to where Ariokot was. Ariokot entered the toilet with Apio and locked the door. Shortly after, A6 heard a loud cry from Apio. Ariokot then came outside, saw A6, and instructed her to enter the toilet. Upon entering, A6 found Apio lying on her stomach with her neck cut. Ariokot then pushed her hand to Apio’s throat, removed something, and put it in a black polythene bag before handing it to Obotol, who was still standing outside.
Ariokot then returned to the same toilet to clean herself and instructed A6 to do the same before telling her to return to the dormitory and never reveal what had happened to anyone. Allegedly, Ariokot also revealed to her daughter A7 that she had killed Apio but instructed her not to tell anyone.
Both juveniles accepted the charges read to them in court. “Yes, we have heard and understood all the charges, and it is true,” A6 and A7 responded. A6 asked the court for forgiveness; A7 “I ask for forgiveness because I want to go back to school.”
Paul Okello, another Soroti State Attorney, informed the court that a medical examination was conducted on both juveniles to ascertain their health conditions and ages. “Police did examine those juveniles to determine if they were mentally okay, and I want to tell this court that they are both of normal mental status; A6 is 14 years old, and A7 is 12 years old,” Okello noted.
Justice Boniface Wamala, the Resident Judge for Soroti High Court, accepted the juveniles’ plea of guilty and charged them for participating in the murder of Joan Faith Apio. “They knew about the murder and concealed the information, and yet a lot of resources have been injected into this case,” he noted. “The family of the victim has remained traumatized to date. This has traumatized the twin sister, who has remained unwell.”
Justice Wamala pointed out that the maximum sentence for juveniles is seven years. Having served one year, five months, and eight days, he said, “I believe that the juveniles were forces to participate by those who were to be like their parents without the willingness of the juveniles. Since the juveniles have agreed they committed the offense, out of innocence, they have been discharged by this court for accepting to be guilty and have been pardoned, having already been in custody for a long period.”
The court will continue to hear the specialized cross-examination of the six adults who pleaded not guilty to murder. The accused are being represented by five lawyers-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
