Senior civil servant in court over torture

Okuja James, 53, the principal assistant secretary in the ministry of East African Community Affairs who also doubles as a proprietor of Dokolo Hotel, a resident of Sonde Cell, Kiira Division in Wakiso District is due to appear before chief magistrate Alex Mushabe Karocho  at Lira Magistrate court to answer two counts of torture.

Prosecution's case against Okuja is that on the May 1,  2017 at Dokolo Hotel in Dokolo District, he intentionally inflicted severe pain or suffering on RA/2017604 private Ocen Paul and a civilian one Owong Lameck by tying, beating and burning them with hot metal as a way of punishing them for suspected criminal trespass to Dokolo hotel and malicious damage to a toilet water system.

The charge is contrary to section 3 (1) and 4 (1) of the prevention and prohibition of torture Act 2012. Its alleged that Okuja James and others still at large committed the offence.