SOROTI – The High Court in Soroti on Thursday sentenced Suzan Vivian Ariokot to life imprisonment for the ritual murder of five-year-old Joan Faith Apio, a Primary One pupil at Jozan Nursery and Primary School. Her husband, school director Joseph Okedi, received 30 years in prison, while his brother, Detective Corporal John Bosco Obotol, was handed 35 years.
Justice Boniface Wamala delivered the sentences after finding the three guilty of murder with malice aforethought. The court ruled that the killing, which occurred on February 5, 2025, was carried out as part of a ritual sacrifice intended to help the convicts acquire wealth.
Apio and her twin sister were enrolled at the school on February 3, 2025. Their mother, Angela Evelyn Akol, remained in contact with the school and was repeatedly assured the children were well. On February 5, school officials informed her that Apio had fallen ill and been taken to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital. Upon arrival, she found her daughter already dead.
A post-mortem examination revealed three deep cuts to the child’s neck that severed her trachea, oesophagus and major blood vessels, causing fatal blood loss. Her body was discovered in a school toilet. The prosecution established that Apio, who was a twin, was targeted for ritual purposes.
Justice Wamala described the act as “gross and evil,” noting the extensive tissue damage and the immense trauma inflicted on the victim’s family and the wider community in the Teso sub-region. The judge said the aggravating circumstances surrounding the killing far outweighed any mitigating factors presented by the defence.
Ariokot, the wife of the school director and co-director of the now-closed institution, was identified as the principal actor in the crime. Okedi and Obotol, a police officer then attached to the Crime Intelligence Unit at Soroti City East Division, were found to have shared a common intention and participated in the offence. Obotol had attempted to cover up the incident after the fact.
Three other accused persons—headteacher James Edoket, school cook Valentin Opio and school matron Osula Adong—were acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence linking them to the murder. Two juveniles earlier charged in connection with the case had pleaded guilty and were sentenced to the time they had already spent on remand.
The Jozan case attracted intense public attention across eastern Uganda following the discovery of the child’s body. Parents, education stakeholders and residents in Teso closely followed the proceedings, which spanned more than a year. The school was subsequently closed.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions welcomed the convictions, stating that the strong sentences reflected the gravity of the offence and the need to protect children from such heinous acts. Justice Wamala emphasised that child sacrifice remains a serious crime under Ugandan law and that the courts will continue to impose deterrent punishments.
The three convicts were remanded to prison immediately after sentencing. The case has renewed calls among community leaders and child-rights advocates for stronger vigilance against ritual practices and improved safeguarding measures in schools.
This judgment brings a measure of closure to a tragedy that shocked the nation, while underscoring the judiciary’s determination to confront ritual-related violence against chlidern