Soroti school directors found guilty in 6-year-old pupil’s murder as court acquits headteacher, matron

What the report says

The High Court in Soroti has convicted two directors of Jozan Nursery and Primary School, Suzan Vivian Ariokot and Joseph Okedi, along with police officer John Bosco Obotol, in the killing of six-year-old pupil Joan Faith Apio, according to The Observer. Apio was found with her throat slit in a school latrine on February 5, 2025. The judgment was delivered by resident judge Boniface Wamala on Thursday.

Six people had been charged over the murder, but the court acquitted headteacher James Edoket, school cook Valentine Opio and matron Osula Adong after finding the prosecution had not presented enough evidence to connect them to the crime. The judge said witnesses and exhibits did not show they took part in the killing or shared a common plan. The court noted that Edoket’s actions were limited to helping access the locked latrine and taking the child to hospital, while the case against Opio and Adong also lacked material proof.

According to the ruling, the prosecution had called 11 witnesses. Defence lawyers asked the court to consider leniency at sentencing, while prosecutors sought time to review the judgment before making submissions. The case has drawn attention because it involves a very young victim, school staff, and a police officer, raising wider concerns about safety, accountability and child protection in school settings. That broader concern is general context; The Observer’s report focused on the conviction, acquittals and the judge’s reasoning.