Students accused of burning Kyotera school have a case to answer, court rules

What the report says

Two former students accused in the 2018 fire that destroyed the boys’ dormitory at St Bernard’s Mannya Secondary School in Kyotera district must now defend themselves in court, according to The Observer. Masaka High Court senior resident judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba found that the prosecution had presented enough evidence to require Edison Nio, a former Senior Four student, and Alex Mugarura, a chapati vendor near the school in Mannya trading centre, to answer multiple charges, including arson, murder, attempted murder, attempted arson and malicious damage to property.

The case centres on allegations that the dormitory fire, said to have been set on November 11, 2018, killed 10 students, injured others and destroyed school property. The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Deborah Itwau, closed its case after calling 18 witnesses, among them former school leaders, detectives, teachers and survivors. The court said the evidence created issues the two accused must address in their defence, while noting they remain presumed innocent.

The defence, represented by lawyer Sam Ssekyewa, disputes the prosecution’s case and argues that witnesses did not directly place the accused at the scene or hear them plan the attack. He says police may have overlooked other possible motives and suspects, including school disputes involving staff changes. The report also says the defence may rely on an alleged confession video tied to a former CMI operation, though no finding has been made on that claim.

The case has already led to the acquittal or discharge of some earlier suspects. More broadly, the ruling means the trial is moving into the defence stage rather than ending with an immediate acquittal or conviction.