Father Arrested for Injuring Children over Homework

Police in Luweero district have arrested a father and his girlfriend for battering their four-year-old twins.  

Ivan Kayiza aged 25 years and a resident of Kiyenje zone in Luweero town council was arrested together with his girlfriend Olivia Sserumaga for allegedly beating their children over failure to do homework. 

The children are pupils in middle class, studying at Mountain Olive Nursery and Primary School in Luweero town.

Benson Byaruhanga the Luweero District Police Commander says the duo have been detained after they accused each other of beating the children leaving them critically injured which is against children act 2016.

Byaruhanga explains that the pupils were rescued on Monday from home of Kayiza's girlfriend Olivia Sserumaga on tip of residents that they were being beaten and they were found in bad shape.

He added that the children have since got treatment from Luweero Health Center IV and under care at Child and Family Protection Unit home.

He, however, noted that Police have preferred a case of child abuse against Kayiza and her girlfriend Sserumaga whereas the mother is being hunted over desertion.

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Although Kayiza's home is found in Kiyenje zone, the children were rescued from the home of Sserumaga located in Lumu zone. 

Sserumaga claimed she was only helping to look after the children after their mother deserted them when they were eight months old.  She accused Kayiza of beating the children on grounds that they were indiscipline.

Kayiza admitted beating the children but denied of injuring them. She accused his girlfriend Sserumaga being responsible of the injuries.

One of the children said that the father has been repeatedly beating them for failure to do homework leaving them injured. 

Although child abuse is prohibited and punishable by law, cases are still common both at home and schools.

In April, a primary three pupil at Luweero Girl's Primary School Allahwi Kizito also sustained severe injuries after being tortured by a teacher for speaking vernacular at the school.

Another 4-year-old pupil at Marto Nursery School in Kamwokya was also captured on video and shared on URN Social media pages being beaten by father at school. Following a social media uproar, Police summoned the father over corporal punishment. He later apologized over the incident.

Section 106A (2) of Children Act (amendment 2016) says that a person who subjects a child to corporal punishment commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for term not exceeding three years or fine not currency exceeding 100 currency points (two million shillings) or both.