Nine individuals who had just been released by the High court in Arua have been re-arrested, reportedly on the orders of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The suspects, whose names have not been disclosed, had been on remand facing various capital offenses, including murder, aggravated defilement, and armed robbery. One of the individuals had been on remand at Arua Government Prison since 2021, while the others were remanded between 2022 and 2023.
They were re-arrested immediately after stepping out of the courtroom, following their release by Justice Harriet Grace Magala.
According to court sources, the suspects were freed due to the prosecution’s failure to produce witnesses during the trial, leaving the court with no choice but to release them.
West Nile Regional police spokesperson Collins Asea confirmed the re-arrest and said it was carried out on the directive of the DPP headquarters in Kampala.