26 remanded over arson

Sep 16, 2009

THE Grade One court in Arua has remanded 26 residents of Mite parish in Adumi sub-county in connection with the burning of over 30 houses in the area last week.

By Frank Mugabi and Richard Adrama

THE Grade One court in Arua has remanded 26 residents of Mite parish in Adumi sub-county in connection with the burning of over 30 houses in the area last week.

According to prosecution, the suspects are accused of raiding and setting ablaze houses belonging to members of Ekua Church of Uganda.

The raiders also killed domestic animals belonging to the church members, slashed their gardens and destroyed other household property worth millions of shillings.

The suspects were on Friday produced before court and charged with counts of arson, nine counts of malicious damage and threatening violence, before being remanded in Arua prison.

The elders in Mite parish said the row had been growing between members of the Nyauka clan, who are Catholics and those from Orivu, who are Protestants, over the ownership of the land surrounding Ekua church.

They said tension heightened due to rumours that Michael Okuru, who heads the Orivu group, was seeking a court order to evict the Catholics. The district CID chief, Christopher Obia, said seven families had their houses set ablaze.

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