By Eric Yiga
Mukono Chief Magistrate Recheal Nakyaze has Wednesday, November 30, 2022, remanded Aeron Waswa, 21 to Kauga Prison for allegedly defiling a P7 girl.
The girl is a pupil of Ssekiboobo Primary School in Ggulu Ward, Mukono central division in Mukono Municipality.
It is alleged that Waswa, who is a student of Kyambogo University and a resident of Kamwanyi, on November 1, 2022, lured the pupil, 13, who was on her way to school, to his room and defiled her for two days after promising to buy for her a smartphone.
Missing person case
After the disappearance of the girl, her mother Jamira Nalugwa went to Mukono Police Station and reported a missing person case.
However, on November 2, 2022, she received a call from her daughter informing her that she had been abducted.
A search and rescue mission was conducted until she was traced after which the Police arrested the suspect.
The prosecution, led by state attorney Josephine Nanyonga, asked the trial magistrate to give them more time to amend the charges concerning the age of the victim because her mother was yet to bring some more evidence.
Defence lawyer’s argument
However, defence lawyer Hassan Kato told the court that the state should amend the charge sheet while his client is out on bail.
“Her worship the state asked for two weeks to amend the charges, but nothing was done and they have been given ample time to produce the evidence. I pray that the court entertains our bail application if the state is done with the investigation,” Kato said.
However, in her ruling, the chief magistrate informed court that she will not entertain the bail application and adjourned the case until December 8, 2022, and that if no amendment is done on that day, she will grant the accused bail.
Family unhappy
However, the family of the girl, led by her father, William Mugerwa, showed dismay over the way the case has been handled.
The father accused the Police of altering the girl’s age from 13 to 14, arresting the girl’s mother and remanding her to Kauga Prison over an allegation of forging the birth certificate of the victim.
Nalugwa was arrested on October 28, 2022, at Mukono Police Station when she had gone to deliver the photocopy of her daughter’s birth certificate after being asked by the Investigating officer.
On arrival at the Police Station, the mother was instead arrested, her documents confiscated and charged with forgery.
She was remanded on November 11, 2022, to Kauga Prison.
However, Nakyazze was released on a noncash bail of sh2m because she’s going to be the witness in the defilement case against Waswa and her case has been adjourned until December 13, 2022.
The family appealed to the public and the human rights bodies to intervene in their matter because they accuse the family of the accused of using patronage and influence to kill the case.
Mugerwa also claimed that they have done all the needful to produce sufficient documents showing the exact dates when their daughter was born including a letter from NIRA and the immunisation chart from Mukono General Hospital.
