DPP withdraws murder charges against Tororo head teacher who was accused of setting husband's home on fire
Deceased former headteacher of St Peters College Tororo, Joseph Olokojo. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Aketch and 3 others had been accused of murdering her husband, who was the ex-head teacher at St Peter's College Tororo.
- The presiding magistrate ordered her, and three other suspects set free unless held for other lawful charges.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Francis Abodo has withdrawn murder charges against Mary Aketch Banedate Olokojo, the head teacher at Rock View School.
The charges were withdrawn at the grade one magistrate’s court in Tororo on Thursday by magistrate Eleijah Iradukunda as the case had come for mention.
State Attorney Harriet Angom tendered in a court withdrawal form dated October 24, 2024, written to the Chief Magistrates Court in Tororo by Abodo, withdrawing the charges against the suspect.
The presiding magistrate ordered the suspect set free unless held for other lawful charges.
''This is to inform Court that the DPP has decided to discontinue proceedings against Mary Aketch Bernadete Olokojo, Regina Auma, Promise Owamukama and Sister Prudence Nankunda who were charged with murder,” court heard.
Before withdrawing the charges, the magistrate explained to the court that the Constitution of Uganda gives powers to the DPP to withdraw charges against any suspect without giving reasons for its decision.
Aketch and 3 others had been accused of murdering her husband, who was the ex-head teacher at St Peter's College Tororo.
Joseph Olokojo was set on fire by unknown assailants in a shocking act of violence in August 14, 2024, at his home in Ogola Village in Tororo town.
Through intelligence, police arrested the wife among key suspects in the murder case and arraigned them before grade one court in Tororo, which subsequently remanded the suspects to Morukatipe Prisons Tororo.
