In the tragic case of the fire at St Bernard’s Secondary School in Rakai District, the court heard from the first state witness that the blaze, which claimed the lives of 10 students and injured approximately 36, was deliberately set and not caused by an electrical fault.

The principal government analyst, Steven Samuel Kibuuka, testified before Judge Victoria Nakintu Katamba at the Masaka High Court. He stated that the investigation led by the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL) concluded that the fire was initiated by unidentified individuals using gasoline.

Kibuuka reported that the analysis of debris from the charred dormitory revealed hydrocarbon traces, indicating the use of petrol as an accelerant. Additionally, a broken window in one of the dormitories suggested that an incendiary device was introduced from the outside.

A victim recounted efforts to rouse fellow students to escape the inferno, only to find the dormitory doors locked from the outside, leaving them trapped as the fire rapidly consumed the structure.

The prosecution presented a report from the government lab detailing these findings, intending to use it as evidence. However, the clarity of the images within the report was questioned, prompting the judge to request additional colored photographs from the scene.

During cross-examination, Kibuuka acknowledged the absence of evidence to completely dismiss an electrical short circuit as the cause, a detail overlooked during the initial investigation.

The case has been adjourned until April 16, allowing the prosecution to summon more witnesses. The amended charge sheet implicates three students from the school and a local resident with multiple counts, including murder, attempted murder, arson, and attempted arson. The accused are alleged to have orchestrated the deadly fire on November 11, 2018, resulting in the deaths of Remigious Tamale and nine other students. They remain in custody at Masaka Central Prison pending further proceedings.