BUSIA, UGANDA: Police in Busia district have arrested a man accused of beating and breaking his child’s hand for allegedly eating a chapati worth 500 shillings.
The suspect has been identified as Moses Muwanguzi, a resident of Solo C village in the Western division of Busia municipality.
Muwanguzi is accused of beating his own son aged 5 years for allegedly eating one chapati worth 500 shillings that he had bought for his newly acquired woman to take for breakfast.
Lydia Nabwire, one of the suspect’s neighbors says that on Thursday morning, they heard the child alarmingly crying in the house. Upon rushing to the rescue, they found Muwanguzi savagely using a stick to beat up the child and on seeing he had broken the minor’s hand, they called the police immediately.
The child also sustained injuries on the back, head and legs.
Ibrahim Balikowa, the defense secretary of Solo C village says that he was informed by the suspect’s neighbor and when he intervened, he found the child was severally injured and he took him to the nearby Busia health center IV for treatment as the man took off.
Muwanguzi was picked up later on Thursday at his home by police when had sneaked out of hiding.
Juma Paul Ouma, the officer in-charge of child protection in the area says that acts of child abuse have become rampant, which has driven many of the children to go to the streets while others instead cross to neighboring Kenya for work.
He pledged that police will do thorough investigation so that the suspect can be charged accordingly. He also said the trial will have lessons for other parents with such mentality.
Moses Muwanguzi while at the police station reportedly admitted his brutal act but asked police to release him so that he can go back and take care of his children and new woman, pleading that he was just punishing his own child.
The child was admitted to Busia health center IV and the suspect is kept in custody at Busia central police station as police continues investigation over the matter.
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