Laughing suspect annoys magistrate
What you need to know:
- Mr Alex Epecu, whose house was also demolished, told court that Mr Okebes commanded the operation to demolish the houses. He said Mr Okebes had often assaulted them in their gardens before the destruction and theft of their property happened.
- Magistrate Nabaasa adjourned the case to August 1 for further hearing.
Soroti. Soroti Chief Magistrate lost her cool during a court session after a suspect continuously laughed at a witness who was testifying against him and four others in a criminal case.
The suspects are accused of unlawfully demolishing more than 40 houses of people in a land dispute with Soroti University.
It all started when a witness, Ms Christine Ibenu, wife of Sam Okia, was testifying on what she saw on the night of May 20. She said the suspects and others raided Apuuton village and destroyed the residents’ houses and looted property.
At this point, Mr Jonathan Mutabali, one of the accused persons, repeatedly laughed at her.
Mr Mutabali’s cynical laughter rubbed the trial magistrate Ruth Nabaasa the wrong way. The enraged magistrate banged the table, drawing the entire courtroom to maximum attention. The lawyer for both the accused and Soroti University Daniel Okalebo went mute.
“You can’t laugh to awaken emotions of people you tortured, destroyed their houses, forcing them to seek refuge in forests,” the irritated magistrate said during the hearing of the case on Thursday.
“This is not a laughing matter, these people with their children still feel the pain,” she added.
The magistrate, who also threatened to cancel the bail for the five suspects for violating court rules, said the case in which the suspects are implicated is of public importance and the manner in which the five accused behaved during the trial was a big insult to the victims.
However, she calmed down and the hearing resumed.
During the proceedings, Ms Ibenu told court that on the fateful night, the suspects: Jonathan Mutabali, Juma Mugobi, James Mutabali, Isa Mutaki, Simon Moses Okebes, a university watchman, and others still at large demolished her home and stole her Shs1.8m, chicken and various household items.
Mr Alex Epecu, whose house was also demolished, told court that Mr Okebes commanded the operation to demolish the houses. He said Mr Okebes had often assaulted them in their gardens before the destruction and theft of their property happened.
Magistrate Nabaasa adjourned the case to August 1 for further hearing.