Police in Soroti have arrested the wife of the director of Jozan Nursery and Primary School in connection with the murder of a five-year-old pupil, Joan Faith Apio.
Suzan Vivian Kedi was whisked away from the school premises together with the director’s brother on February 10, 2025. The duo remain in police custody to aid in the ongoing police investigations into the murder.
The arrests stem from the horrific scene of the brutal killing of a five-year-old pupil whose body was found lifeless in the pit latrine of Jozan Nursery and Primary School by the school matron, Asula Adong.
Adong explained that she found Apio dead in the staff pit latrine; her neck was deeply cut with a sharp object, which prompted her to raise the alarm, attracting the attention of the school authorities and the immediate community.
Damalie Nachuha, the East Kyoga regional police commander, confirmed the arrests in a move she says authorities deem relevant to the investigations.
“It is true she is in our custody over the murder of the pupil in school. We also arrested the brother of the director, whom we found at the scene of the crime,” Nachuha said.
With the mystery of the murder still unsolved, authorities have asked for the public’s compliance and patience in collecting evidence to speed up investigations.
On Thursday, February 6, 2025, the police detained several school authorities, including the director, Joseph Okedi; the headteacher, David Kadimba; and the matron, as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding Apio’s death.
Authorities assured the public that the suspects will be arraigned in court once the key investigations have been concluded.
The Teso paramount chief, Emorimor Paul Sande Emolot, while delivering his speech at the funeral of Brig. Gen. Charles Oluka, criticized the school’s administration for its failure to protect the child. He accused some institutions of prioritizing financial gain over the safety of children and warned against the growing threat of child sacrifice in the region.
“This is one of the most disturbing incidents I have received since my childhood. It is so silly; it is ridiculous, an irony, and a paradox in the land of Teso,” Emorimor said.
As investigations continue, parents and community members remain gripped with fear with many calling for stricter regulations in privately owned schools to protect the young children.
