In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Gaswaga told court that the convict has a chance to live a responsible life ahead. However, the offense committed is a serious one and ignorance of the law at the time of the offense is immaterial.
Lira High Court has sentenced a 24-year-old girl to 8
years in prison for aggravated defilement.
Sharon Aryebo, a resident of Kamdini Township in Oyam
district was on Wednesday convicted and sentenced on her own plea of guilty by
Justice Duncan Gaswaga, the Lira Resident Judge for defiling Sula Ayo, a 17-year-old
resident of the same area. The convict was 21 years by the time of committing
the offense.
Prosecution states that on 3 years ago at Kamdini Township in Oyam District, Aryebo convinced Ayo who was returning
home with his brother to go to her house from where she forced Ayo to have unprotected
sex with her.
However, Ayo’s brother went straight and reported the
incident to their mother who instead called police to have the woman arrested. Upon
medical tests and interrogation, Aryebo informed police that she was in a
relationship with Ayo and that she she was not aware of her
HIV status.
But Peter Opio Amalo, the State prosecutor argued that
Ayo intentionally placed the life of the boy at risk by having unprotected sex even
though she would have protected him.
Amalo argued: “The victim in this case is a young boy who was a student
but his life was put at a very serious risk by subjecting him to unprotected
sex. The convict my Lord, is found to be HIV positive meaning that the offense
is serious and it attracts death has a maximum sentence. My Lord, young boys
need protection from such convicts so she has to be well punished.”
However, Herbert Walusimbi, the defense lawyer told
court to consider the age gap between the convict and the victim by the time of
the crime saying Aryebo did not know that the boy was only 17 years.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Gaswaga told court
that the convict has a chance to live a responsible life ahead. However, the
offense committed is a serious one and ignorance of the law at the time of the
offense is immaterial.
“In the circumstances, I find the sentence of 8 years
in prison is sufficient and accordingly, I sentence the convict to 8 years in
prison, the period spent on remand that is 1 year and 6 months should be
considered as part of the sentence and you are also free to appeal against my
sentence,” he ruled.
