The Fourth Division Court-martial in Gulu is bothered by the destruction of a mango tree on which a student of Gulu Central High school was shot dead in March this year.
Gabriel Rwotomiya,17, a senior three student of the school was reportedly shot dead by Private Denis Ochora, who was deployed to quell a violent students strike at Gulu Central High School. The students were protesting against the school the failure of the management to relay a live English football match on the night of March 6th, 2022 when Rwotomiya met his death.
Witnesses told the court on Thursday that Rwotomiya climbed the mango tree in the school compound to evade bullets by security personnel who were quelling the violent strike but was instead shot dead. His lifeless body was discovered hours later when students and staff noticed blood dripping from the tree.
However, a few days later, the administration of Gulu Central High School uprooted
the tree and burnt the stamp to ashes. They say this was done in line with the Acholi tradition, which requires that a tree where one was killed or met his/her death be destroyed to avoid bad omens, similar occurrences, and bad memories.
On Thursday, Lt. Col. George Nambafu, the Chairman of Fourth Division Army court-martial Barracks ordered the reconstruction of the crime scene to gather facts and evidence, which could lead to the possible prosecution of the accused soldier.
The court officials, witnesses, and prosecuting team led by Lt. Col. Nambafu traveled to the murder scene, which is about four kilometers from the seat of the court but were astonished to discover that the tree had been uprooted and burnt to ashes.
Nambafu questioned the school administration why they destroyed the tree noting that it would jeopardize evidence and undermine investigations. However, Geoffrey Acaye, the Gulu Central High School estate manager who is also a prosecution witness told the court chairman that the tree was uprooted and destroyed in consultation with police detectives noting that traditionally in the Acholi it is not allowed to keep trees where death has occurred since it would bring bad omen and encourage a recurrence of such happening.
Rwot Yusuf Okwonga Adek, the chief of Pageya Chiefdom in Acholi told URN in an interview on Friday that the school administration was right to destroy the tree. He explains that the tree does not only bring bad omens but would also encourage such tragic happenings in the future. Rwot Adek added that a person who died or was killed in a similar manner is also buried with his head upward to avoid such reoccurrence in their family lineage.
The Fourth Division Court-martial on Thursday started the trial of Private Denis Ochora who is accused of shooting to death Rwotomiya. The prosecution is led by Captain Augustine Tumwebaze while the defense is led by counsel Lt. Julius Nkomejimana.
The accused soldier pleaded not guilty to the offense. Nine witnesses have been lined up to prosecute Ochora, who is charged with murder by shooting. Six witnesses including a teacher, watchman, student, and estate manager at Gulu Central High School as well as a UPDF soldier pinned Ochora for the alleged crime noting that he was drunk and was drinking more alcohol during the operation when security responded to the quell the violence.
Lt. Col. Nambafu adjourned the case to September 7th, 2022, and consequently remanded Ochora to Gulu Main Prisons. Gulu Central High School is privately owned by Dr. David Onen. It is one of the leading mixed-day and boarding schools in Northern Uganda. It has about 961 students.
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