Court Acquits Two in 2018 Rakai School Fire Tragedy

Masaka High Court has declared Alex Mugarura and Niyo Edison not guilty of charges stemming from the tragic 2018 fire at St. Bernard Secondary School in Rakai District. The blaze, which occurred at the Manya campus, resulted in the deaths of ten students.

The accused faced a series of serious charges, including murder, arson, and attempted arson. However, Justice Victoria Nakintu Katamba ruled that the prosecution had not presented enough substantive evidence to link Mugarura and Edison to the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court noted that the prosecution’s case was heavily reliant on circumstantial evidence and suspicions, which were insufficient to place the accused at the scene of the crime during the incident. While the court acknowledged that the fire was an unlawful act that caused the deaths, it could not establish the direct participation of Mugarura and Edison.

“I therefore find that prosecution failed to prove its case against accused persons. Accordingly, accused persons Alex Mugarura and Niyo Edison are found not guilty and acquitted on all counts,” Justice Nakintu stated in her ruling.

The defense lawyer, Sam Ssekyezi, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, highlighting that his clients had spent nearly eight years on remand. He also raised concerns about the initial police investigation, suggesting it was inadequate and failed to identify the correct perpetrators. Earlier, two other individuals, Henry Taremwa and Dickson Kisule, had also been acquitted due to procedural reasons and age respectively.

This acquittal brings a close to a significant chapter of the case, though questions may linger for the affected families and the community regarding the full scope of the investigation. The court ordered the release of Mugarura and Edison, provided they have no other pending legal matters.

https://www.monitor.ug/uganda/news/national/court-acquits-two-in-2018-rakai-school-fire-that-killed-10-students-5620736