Grapevine

Court acquits one of the students remanded over Rakai school fire

Masaka High Court has acquitted one of the three students of St. Bernard’s SS ,Maanya accused of torching a school dormitory in which 10 students died and 37 others injured.

The students through their lawyer Sam Ssekyewa filed an application in July asking court to acquit them citing gross violation of their fundamental rights, among others being over stay on remand, being detained in adult detention facilities, yet they were juveniles at the time of their arrest nearly six years ago .

While appearing before Masaka High Court judge Justice Victoria Nakintu Katamba, Mr Ssekyewa presented evidence indicating that the applicants, Moses Taremwa, (1st applicant), Alex Mugarura Junior (Second applicant), Dickson Kisule (Fourth Applicant) were juveniles at the time of their arrest.

Records before court indicate that Taremwa, who has been acquitted by court, was born on May 23, 2002, as indicated in his affidavit backed by his baptism card issued on July 29,2002 .

In her ruling , Justice Nakintu delivered to the parties’ lawyers via email dated October 7, 2024, noted that the Uganda Certificate of Examinations (UCE) the administration of St. Bernard’s SS ,Maanya availed to court demonstrated that he was 17 years old by the time of his arrest agreeing with the applicant’s lawyer , that Taremwa was a juvenile.