By Our Reporter 

SOROTI CITY — The High Court in Soroti has witnessed another dramatic development in the ongoing trial over the 2025 murder of Joan Faith Apio, a Primary One pupil at Jozan Nursery and Primary School, after several defence witnesses declined to testify, citing fear of public backlash and concerns about the security of their jobs.

The hearing, presided over by Justice Boniface Wamala, saw the defence inform court that the intended witnesses had initially agreed to testify but later communicated that they would not appear in open court because of fear over possible public reaction after the trial.

One of the defence counsels Francis Ajun told court that the witnesses had requested to testify in chambers, but after discussions, they ultimately resolved not to appear. According to the defence, Joseph Okedi, the school director, Susan Vivian Ariokot Okedi, the school's co-director and wife to Okedi, and John Bosco Obotol, Okedi's brother, accepted the decision and agreed to proceed without calling the witnesses.

Ajun further informed court that witnesses expected to testify on behalf of John Bosco Obotol also withdrew, saying they feared their employment could be affected if they appeared in court. As a result, Obotol will rely on the testimony he has already given before court.

With the withdrawal of the witnesses, the defence shifted its focus to electronic evidence.

The court heard that Joseph Okedi is seeking to rely on CCTV footage from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital as part of his defence. The footage was requested through a court order and is expected to help establish the sequence of events relevant to the defence's case.

Meanwhile, Susan Vivian Ariokot Okedi is seeking to rely on mobile phone data and CCTV footage from Pride Bank. According to the defence, the footage is intended to show the time she was at the bank, while information retrieved from her mobile phone is also expected to form part of her defence.

Counsel Ajun informed court that both Soroti Regional Referral Hospital and Pride Bank requested additional time to allow their Information Technology (IT) experts to retrieve the required CCTV footage before presenting it to court.

The prosecution also informed court that ASP Betty Akiring, attached to East Kyoga Regional Police, produced five mobile phones in compliance with a court order. However, the phones had not been properly marked, making it difficult to immediately identify which device contained information relevant to the defence.

Ajun requested court to allow both the defence and prosecution to jointly engage IT experts to examine the mobile phones and retrieve any relevant electronic evidence before the next hearing.

The defence also reported that attempts to obtain CCTV footage from Susan Vivian Ariokot Okedi's business premises were unsuccessful after learning that following her arrest, property from the premises, including the CCTV cameras, had reportedly been removed by the landlord and handed to her relatives.

Justice Boniface Wamala directed both parties to work together with their IT experts before the next hearing to identify the relevant mobile phone, ensure it is fully charged, and prepare all electronic evidence for presentation in court. The judge emphasized that the evidence should be ready to avoid technical delays during the proceedings.

The matter was adjourned to Monday, when the court expects IT experts to present findings from the mobile phones and any available CCTV footage from Pride Bank and Soroti Regional Referral Hospital.

The case stems from the murder of Joan Faith Apio, who disappeared while at Jozan Nursery and Primary School on 5 February 2025. Her body was later discovered in a school pit latrine, a tragedy that sparked nationwide outrage and calls for justice.

Eight people have been charged in connection with the case, including James Edoket, the school head teacher; Joseph Okedi, the school director; Susan Vivian Ariokot Okedi, the co-director; Osula Adongo, the school matron; Valentine Opio, the school cook; John Bosco Obotol, a police officer and brother to Joseph Okedi; and two minors.

The trial resumes on Monday as the court awaits the presentation of the electronic evidence that could play a significant role in the defence case.