Police in Mbale city are holding 26-year-old, Joel Situma, a teacher at Nabuyonga Primary School in Mbale City for defiling a 13-year-old primary six pupil.
Situma who is currently detained at the Mbale Central Police Station was arrested following complaints by the minor’s parent Juliet Namono a resident of Somero cell in Mbale city who told Police that the teacher has been eloping around with his daughter.
According to Police, Situma has been luring his victim to come to school as early as 5:00AM for coaching, and it was during these sessions that he took advantage and sexually abused the minor on several occasions.
Rogers Taitika, the Elgon Region Police Spokesperson said the police apprehended the suspect after receiving a report from the victim’s mother.
“The girl told the mother about Situma, how he has been defiling her for some time, we want to ask the community to be vigilant to fight issues of defilement” he said.
He said a medical examination has been conducted and the police are awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before proceeding with charging Situma with aggravated defilement.
The Ugandan Penal Code Act defines defilement as “unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of eighteen years” and makes the offense punishable by death.
Since this year started, the Elgon region has registered over 200 cases of defilement. Taitika says although there has been a decrease from January to date, the police is still monitoring the situation and calls upon the community members to continue reporting all the cases of defilement and other forms of sexual abuses mated on underage girls.
Story by City Post News