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ARCHDIOCESE OF GULU |
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P. O. Box 200 Gulu UGANDA |
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Tel. (256)-(0)471-32026 Fax: 256-(0)471432860 Email: metrog@archdioceseofgulu.org |
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OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY HIS GRACE JOHN BAPTIST ODAMA THE ARCHBISHOP OF GULU ON THE STATUS OF THE CASE OF MSGR. MATTHEW OJARA, THE EPISCOPAL VICAR OF KITGUM VICARIATE30TH NOVEMBER 2004
Msgr. Matthew Ojara was arrested on Monday 1st of November 2004 and detained by the State of the Republic of Uganda before he was released on Police Bond in the morning of Friday the 5th of November 2004. He was suspected and alleged to have been a Rebel Collaborator of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). His period of detention (4 days in police custody) was against the provision of article 23 (4) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda that prohibits the detention of a suspect beyond 48 hours from the time of his or her arrest before the person is produced into the court.
I am pleased to inform the people of Uganda and the world at large that on Thursday the 25th November 2004, Msgr. Matthew Ojara, who had been reporting regularly to the Police under the laws of his Police Bond, was declared innocent and free after the Police Bond was withdrawn due to lack of evidence.
I thank God for having guided the State to see the falsehood directed at the priest and declared him an innocent person as he has always been. I also thank all those in Uganda and around the world who joined us in prayers for the safe release of the Monsignor from custody. I thank all Christians of Gulu Archdiocese and all over Uganda and the world, and all the people of good will for having maintained calm and kept praying during this very trying moment for me the Archbishop, the Clergy, the Religious, and the Lay Faithful of Gulu Archdiocese.
Peace and God’s blessing upon you all in the Lord Jesus Christ.
+ John Baptist Odama Archbishop of Gulu. |
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Archdiocese of Gulu, P. O. Box 200, Gulu - UGANDA MAIL Courtesy of New Directions in Technology Company |