COURT: Ntungamo Grade One Magistrates Court on Friday, March 10th remanded Seven suspects who were arrested by Police in Ntungamo district over a fire that razed two dormitories at Kyamate Secondary school killing one student Bonus Ankwatireire.
The grade one court presided over by Her Worship Mariam Namubiru, the Ntungamo grade one magistrate heard from prosecution led by Laudelo Twinomugisha, the Ntungamo resident state attorney that the convicts, Kanyesigye odongo odamal, Arinatwe Anthony, Tumwesigye Arnold, Arinaitwe Eliajah, Asiimwe Joshua, Tumushabe Wilber the prime suspect and Twesigye Lawrence caused the death of a student identified as Atukwase Bonus aged 13 years on 26/02/2023.
The seven students were charged with three counts of attempted murder, one count of arson, malicious damage of 196 beds and school properties valued at 447million.
Prosecution also told court that the convicts on 26/02/2023 at Kyamate secondary school willfully and unlawfully set fire that gutted Nyerere and Mandela dormitories block which was accommodating 146 Senior one students.
It is from this background that, the Ntungamo grade one magistrate Namubiru Mariam, remanded Six Suspects to Ntungamo prisons and one juvenile Arinaitwe Eliajah to Kabale remand home till 27th/03/2023.
Her worship Namubiru said that the convicts are charged with one count of murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of arson, and one hundred seventy-five counts of malicious damage to property counting to 180 cases except one count of murder which is beyond grade one court.
Court also named Tumushabe Wilber the prime suspect who was earlier suspended from school over indiscipline.
Background
At least one student died while three others were injured when fire gutted two dormitories at Kyamate Secondary School in Ntungamo Municipality On February 27, 2023.
The occupants were mainly S.1 students who had been asked to give space for the rest of students to utilize the available solar power source in the school.
Three students were injured as they tried to rescue properties while student Bonus Ankwatireire from Isingiro District was burnt to death by the fire.
Several properties belonging to students including mattresses, beddings, beds, books and other personal property were destroyed in the two dormitories that house at least 80 students in each hall.
By Ambrose Kweronda
centralupdates31@gmail.com
