Luweero, (UG):- In Central Uganda’s Luweero District, a 49-year-old school cook is currently in police custody after he was arrested for allegedly defiling his 17-year-old daughter and executing an abortion for her to terminate the pregnancy.
The Police Spokesperson for Savannah Region, Mr Sam Twineamazima confirmed having the unnamed suspect in custody at Luweero CPS who now faces charges of aggravated defilement and will be arraigned in court as soon as investigations into the case conclude.
“The suspect is under police custody and the investigations are ongoing. A case of aggravated defilement is the holding charge against the suspect as investigations continue,” Mr Twineamizma said on Monday.
According to preliminary police investigations, it is alleged that the suspect who has been staying with his daughter for more than 10 years since separating with his wife started sexually abusing her in 2021 during her Primary Seven vacation.
Two years later in 2023 while the victim was in Senior Two, the father arranged for an abortion after she became pregnant.
The abortion, according to Monitor, was reportedly executed in Kayunga District during which time the father threatened to stop paying her school fees if she divulged any information about his abuse.
The local daily reports that on November 18, 2024, the victim reportedly ran away from their home in Ndejje Town Council in Luweero District and sought refuge at the home of a Pentecostal pastor.
“On the same date (Nov 18), while the victim was moving out of the pastors’ home, she met her School head teacher who demanded to know why she was not at school. She told the head teacher that she was sick,” Monitor reported in a Monday edition of the newspaper.
The head teacher reportedly took the victim to the school nurse to whom she narrated her ordeal according to Mr Twineamazima.
“The school nurse reportedly received a corroborated account detailing the sexual abuse acts that the victim had disclosed to the pastor’s wife. We swung into action and arrested the father,” he said.
Luweero District Probation Officer, Ms Joyce Namigadde confirmed the arrest and said she was in contact with the police over the same case. “This case is among the many that get registered at our office. It is very unfortunate that a parent who is supposed to be the custodian of the child’s rights turns against his own. We have been forced to find a safer resettlement home for the victim after getting information that her relatives were bitter after the arrest of the suspect (father).”
With at least 99 cases registered by police in 2023, Luweero District ranked second among districts that reported high numbers of aggravated defilement in the Annual Crime Report.
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.
