Man gets five years over arson
TORORO district LC5 chairperson Martin Etori has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for arson and incitement of violence.
By Faustine Odeke
TORORO district LC5 chairperson Martin Etori has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for arson and incitement of violence.
Martin Etori, 63, and 11 others were convicted by Tororo Chief Magistrate Moses Gabriel Angulia of arson and sent to Morukatipe Prison.
Etori, who is the NRM flag-bearer for Mella sub-county councillor, will serve five years for arson and 20 months for incitement of violence. Both sentences run concurrently.
Others convicted for arson included Timothy Osikol, Bernard Osikol, Peter Ekiring, Fabian Emolot and Samuel Imoni.
Bernard Osikol will serve another one year for assault, Aggrey Emojong and Yoab Imoo will have another 24 months for causing grievous harm.
The chief magistrate cautioned Patrick Paade, Ivan Emoyo and Nicholas Olakitar, who were juveniles at the time the crimes were committed.
Passing the sentence on Thursday, Angulia said the convicts caused untold suffering to the complainants who had to begin their lives from scratch.
He said the sentence passed against the convicts was appropriate and lenient enough, adding that the time in prison will compensate for the damages caused.
Angulia commended the state prosecutor for adducing sufficient evidence.
The state prosecutor, Annette Namatovu Dunga, told court that the crime was committed in Kinyeli village in 2008, where 42 grass-thatched huts burnt, personal property and maize plantations were destroyed and animals killed.
Namatovu said Etori of the Ikuruk clan attacked members of the Ikaruwok clan on the pretext of reclaiming their ancestral land, which had allegedly been grabbed from them.
One of the convicts testified that they were coerced by Martin Etori, who was armed with a pistol, to set the huts on fire.
TORORO district LC5 chairperson Martin Etori has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for arson and incitement of violence.
Martin Etori, 63, and 11 others were convicted by Tororo Chief Magistrate Moses Gabriel Angulia of arson and sent to Morukatipe Prison.
Etori, who is the NRM flag-bearer for Mella sub-county councillor, will serve five years for arson and 20 months for incitement of violence. Both sentences run concurrently.
Others convicted for arson included Timothy Osikol, Bernard Osikol, Peter Ekiring, Fabian Emolot and Samuel Imoni.
Bernard Osikol will serve another one year for assault, Aggrey Emojong and Yoab Imoo will have another 24 months for causing grievous harm.
The chief magistrate cautioned Patrick Paade, Ivan Emoyo and Nicholas Olakitar, who were juveniles at the time the crimes were committed.
Passing the sentence on Thursday, Angulia said the convicts caused untold suffering to the complainants who had to begin their lives from scratch.
He said the sentence passed against the convicts was appropriate and lenient enough, adding that the time in prison will compensate for the damages caused.
Angulia commended the state prosecutor for adducing sufficient evidence.
The state prosecutor, Annette Namatovu Dunga, told court that the crime was committed in Kinyeli village in 2008, where 42 grass-thatched huts burnt, personal property and maize plantations were destroyed and animals killed.
Namatovu said Etori of the Ikuruk clan attacked members of the Ikaruwok clan on the pretext of reclaiming their ancestral land, which had allegedly been grabbed from them.
One of the convicts testified that they were coerced by Martin Etori, who was armed with a pistol, to set the huts on fire.