In the latest update from the Masaka High Court, the court delved into the details of the catastrophic fire at St Bernard’s Secondary School in Rakai District. The first state witness has testified that the fire, which led to the tragic loss of 10 students and left about 36 injured, was not an accidental occurrence but a deliberate act of arson.

Steven Samuel Kibuuka, the principal government analyst, presented his findings to Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba. The Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL) concluded that the fire was intentionally ignited by unknown individuals using petrol, as indicated by hydrocarbon traces found in the debris. A broken window in one of the dormitories was identified as the likely point of entry for the incendiary substance.

The court also heard a distressing account from Rashid Bbosa, a student who survived the ordeal. He recounted his efforts to alert and evacuate his fellow students, only to discover that the dormitory doors were locked from the outside, effectively trapping them as the fire rapidly spread.

The prosecution introduced a report from the government lab, which was subsequently challenged by the defense over the clarity of its photographic evidence. This led to a request for more detailed, colored images from the scene.

During cross-examination, Kibuuka acknowledged that the investigation had not definitively ruled out the possibility of an electrical short circuit as the cause of the fire, highlighting a potential oversight by the DGAL.

The case has been postponed to April 16, to allow the prosecution time to summon additional witnesses. The amended charge sheet accuses three students from the school and a local resident of 48 counts, including murder, attempted murder, arson, and attempted arson, in connection with the November 11, 2018, fire that resulted in the deaths of Remigious Tamale and nine other students. The accused are currently detained at Masaka Central Prison as they await further proceedings.