Kyakulumbye is accused of trying to compromise a trial involving a 20-year-old man who is accused of impregnating a 16-year-old girl from his village. He was arrested on the intervention of Kyesiiga Sub County Speaker Mudashiruh Bbaale, following reports that he was conniving with the suspects' parents to frustrate the trial.
Police in Masaka district is
holding Gerald Kyakulumbye, the chairperson of Ddimo village in Kyesiiga sub
county for mediating a sexual offence against a minor.
Kyakulumbye is accused of trying
to compromise a trial involving a 20-year-old man who is accused of impregnating
a 16-year-old girl from his village. He
was arrested on the intervention of Kyesiiga Sub County Speaker Mudashiruh
Bbaale, following reports that he was conniving with the suspects' parents to
frustrate the trial.
It is alleged that William
Lusembo, a resident of Ddimo landing site defiled and impregnated a young girl
but upon his arrest on a fortnight ago, he conspired with the village
chairperson to negotiate his release from Ddimo Police Post before his case
file also went missing.
According to Bbaale, the suspect
and his parents, through the village chairperson, lured the victim’s parents to
give up the matter and settle for a 1.2 million Shillings compensation. Bbaale
accuses Kyakulumbye of facilitating an agreement between either parents, in
which they negotiated for freedom of the victim.
//Cue in; “oluvanyuma lw’abazadde…
Cue out…nduulu n’etutandika.”//
Bbaale also accuses Police Officers
at Ddimo Police Post of negotiating for a bribe of 500,000 Shillings to release
the suspect in order to frustrate the trial. He explains that police deliberately
failed to forward the case file to the Resident State Attorney for sanctioning
despite them having substantial evidence against the suspect.
//Cue in; “so tulindiridde
bwenkanya…
Cue out...busirisi.”//
A Civil Society Organization; Human
Rights Defenders Masaka-HURIDEM, and MIFUMI which deals in advocacy and
protection of Women and Children’s rights, have taken up the matter to pursue
justice for the victim. These are now demanding for reprimand of the officers
at Ddimo Police Post.
Shifah Kateregga, the Executive
Director of HURIDEM says they are irritated by village council leaders who
concentrate on securing the release of suspects while suppressing the rights of
girls and women whose future stands at stake.
Masaka Police Community Liaisons
Officer Yahaya Lyagoba confirms that the matter has been directly taken up by
the District Police Commander.
