LUWERO, UGANDA: A primary school teacher in Luwero district is in trouble for defiling a nine-year-old pupil who was entrusted to him for private coaching.
The suspect is 28-year-old Richard Obonyo, a teacher at Child Care Primary School in Kikyusa town council. He is accused of defiling a primary four pupil of Kikyusa Grammar Primary School.
The victim’s father says that when President Museveni announced the closure of schools in March last year, Obonyo moved around the village looking for children for coaching and they entrusted him with their child.
He explains that Obonyo has been coaching the minor at his private home but on Monday, the girl reported to him that the teacher forced her into sex after covering her eyes and mouth with handkerchiefs.
Isah Ssemwogerere, the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson says that after getting a complaint from the father, officers swung into action and arrested Obonyo.
They immediately transferred him to Luwero Central Police for further interrogation. Ssemwogerere says that police have since taken the child for a medical check-up as investigations into the matter are ongoing.
Audrey Kanyesigye, the Country Director of Just Like My Child Foundation has cautioned parents against entrusting teachers to coach their children in private homes, saying this exposes them to sexual abuse.
Kanyesigye says that they have partnered with other organizations to open safe spaces in Luwero town where children within a zone can meet to continue learning under close supervision to avoid sexual abuse.
At least 174 children in Luwero district were defiled in 2020 resulting from the prolonged school closure, according to the Annual Crime report.
Another report from Luwero District Health Department shows that at least 16,163 teenage pregnancies were reported in the financial year 2020/21 while 442 cases involved girls below 15 years of age.
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