KAMPALA, UGANDA: Katwe police station is holding two women for torturing a 7 year old child on accusations of stealing fish.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire has identified the suspects as Aisha Nalubega and her friend Allen Kyazike. The two were arrested following a video that was filmed as they tortured 7-year-old Ibrahim Kavuma.
A video that is circulating on social media shows one of the suspects, Aisha Nalubega who is also a step mother to the victim, tying upside down the victim on the pole while her friend Kyazike lit the candle before they started burning the child with burnt waxes.
The incident that went viral over the weekend left Ugandans calling for the arrest of the suspects. The incident was reported by the area defense secretary of Busabala B zone in Makindye division.
“The defense secretary found the child with his legs tied up on a pole, hanging with his head facing down, he informed Katwe police, and we hurriedly conducted an operation that led to the arrest of the two suspects. Owoyesigyire said.
Police rescued the child and he has been handed over to other relatives at Katwe police. Owoyesigyire said police are working hard to make sure that the child gets justice.
”It is unfortunate that this case is one of many child abuse cases that don’t even come to police, a lot of children go through such situation and it takes the strength of one person to come out and inform police, we hope to see justice to this child anytime.” Owoyesigyire said.
Over the weekend, Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court charged a 25-year old Joanita Nakamanya with aggravated torture of her 10-year-old stepdaughter which is contrary to Section 3 and 4 of the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act 2012.
In March this year, a 23-year-old mother who was also filmed brutalizing her five-year-old son was sentenced to two years in prison. Patience Uwimana, a resident of Byuma village, Kyazanga town council in Lwengo district was convicted by Masaka Grade One Magistrate for torturing her son on February 8, 2021.
At least 1,500 children are abused or tortured annually according to Uganda Police Force statistics. However, the convictions of the abusers of children in court are as low as 45 per 1500 cases.
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