Soroti, Uganda. In a landmark decision, the High Court in Soroti has re-sentenced Francis Andrew Obirai, who perpetrated a heinous acid attack on his girlfriend, Dorothy Atim.
The re-sentencing sees the 39-year-old Obirai facing 40 years imprisonment, a significant increase from his initial conviction of 35 years on March 9, 2018.
This development comes after the Court of Appeal overturned his original sentence due to procedural irregularities during his trial, leading to a retrial.
Francis Andrew Obirai, 34 at the time of the crime, had initially been convicted for attacking Dorothy Atim, a former sales representative with Vision Group, on September 8, 2013, at their home in Senior Quarters, Soroti Town.
The acid attack left Atim in critical condition, and she succumbed to her injuries on February 28, 2014, after six months of battling the aftermath of the assault.
Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal, consisting of Justices Hellen Obura, Catherine Bamugemereire, and Christopher Madrama, intervened and ordered a retrial on February 7, 2023.
The decision to overturn Obirai’s conviction was based on the fact that assessors were not allowed to take the oath during the initial trial at Soroti High Court, presided over by Judge David Batema.
In the recent retrial, Justice Dr. Henry Peter Adonyo handed down a 40-year sentence to Obirai on February 21. The judge emphasized that the harsh sentence serves as a deterrent to potential offenders contemplating such violent acts.
State attorney Paul Okello argued that the nature of the crime warranted a maximum sentence, considering the rarity and severity of acid attacks.
During the retrial, Obirai pleaded for leniency from the court. However, the court, acknowledging the gravity of the crime, opted for a stern punishment.
In a display of solidarity and advocacy against acid attacks, Atim’s relatives attended the sentencing at Soroti High Court clad in white t-shirts bearing the message ‘Stop Acid Attacks.’
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