KAMPALA, UGANDA: A born again pastor in Wakiso has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he was convicted of six counts of aggravated child trafficking sodomising at least 13 pupils.
The pastor identified as Mr Didas Mpagi, aka Bakulu is said to have committed the offences between 2018 and 2019, while executing his duties as the headmaster of Real Infant Primary School in Wakiso District.
Pastor Bakulu was convicted by the International Crimes Division of the High Court (ICD) Justice David Wangutusi on Friday, October 8, and sentenced him to spend the rest of his natural life behind bars.
Justice Wangutusi said Mr Mpagi would serve his sentences concurrently.
According to police investigations, it was reportedly established that Mpagi was not only a headmaster at the school, but also a warden for the male pupils. It was also revealed that he was sleeping in the same dormitory with his victims who were all male and that he sexually exploited them at night.
The investigations also showed that Mpagi cherry-picked his victims from families which were economically weak. He is said to have targeted them to stay in the boarding section of the school for his own carnal pleasures, promising to get them sponsors and scholarships.
Prosecution further told court that once the children were in his school and dormitory, Mpagi threatened to stop paying their school fees or cancel their scholarship if they did not obey his commands.
“The victims revealed that they were required to spend some nights in the accused’s bed and whilst there, the victims were required to sleep naked. The accused would massage their bodies, including the penis. The accused would then fondle the genitals of victims with his fingers, and thereafter he would practice oral and anal sex on them,” Justice Wangutusi’s ruling reads in part.
Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: [email protected] Or join the Daily Express WhatsApp channel for all the latest news and trends or join the Telegram Channel for the latest updates.
