Jilted lover re-convicted over acid attack on girlfriend
Feb 02, 2024
Francis Andrew Obirai who was earlier convicted and sentenced to 35 years on March 9, 2018, for attacking his lover, Dorothy Atim, who was a sales representative with Vision Group, with acid, petitioned the court of appeal.
Francis Andrew Obirai who was earlier convicted and sentenced to 35 years on March 9, 2018, for attacking his lover, Dorothy Atim/File photo
Martin Okwera
Journalist @New Vision
The High Court in Soroti has re-convicted Francis Andrew Obirai, the jilted lover who poured acid on his girlfriend; a former Vision Group staff, for murder after the court of appeal quashed his previous sentence of 35 years.
On February 08 2023, three Justices of Appeal sitting in Mbale High Court ordered a re-trial of Andrew Francis Obirai, the man serving 35 years of imprisonment for causing the death of his girlfriend after pouring acid on her.
However, high Court Soroti, presided over by Justice Dr. Henry Peter Adonyo yesterday Thursday 01 February 2024, set 15th of February 2024 for Obirai to receive his sentence.
Francis Andrew Obirai who was earlier convicted and sentenced to 35 years on March 9, 2018, for attacking his lover, Dorothy Atim, who was a sales representative with Vision Group, with acid, petitioned the court of appeal.
The grounds of his claim was that during the time of his trial at the high court, Soroti which was by then presided over by Justice David Batema court assessors were not given to take oath.
In a unanimous ruling delivered on February 7 2023, the Justices; Hellen Obura, Catherine Bamugemereire and Christopher Madrama ordered for the retrial on grounds that the High Court trial proceeded without Assessors.
Obirai lodged his appeal with the Court of Appeal on 12 grounds; one of which was that the trial Judge erred in law and fact when he convicted him without following the law governing the Assessors’ participation in the trial proceedings thereby causing a miscarriage of Justice.
Atim was rushed to Mulago Hospital, Kampala, in critical condition. She died in March 2014, after spending five months in the intensive care unit (ICU) where she was admitted.
Obirai when receiving his convict pleaded to court to have leniency while sentencing him.
However, the relatives of the deceased Dorothy Atim while appearing at Soroti High Court wearing white t-shirt that printed on the back ‘Stop Acid Attack’.
No Comment