I FELT BETRAYED: Kyakuwa Joanita at the court yesterday

Joanita Kyakuwa gives evidence

By Anne Mugisa, Milton Olupot, Hillary Kiirya and Hillary Nsambu

THE woman who accuses Col. Kizza Besigye of rape told the High Court yesterday that he raped her twice at his Luzira home in Kampala and at Bombo Military Barracks in 1997.

The small-bodied and light-skinned 28-year-old Joanita Kyakuwa, testifying at the opening of the rape case against Besigye, said the retired colonel threatened her into silence the first time he raped her.

At the start of hearing, presiding judge J.B. Katutsi, asked Besigye’s wife Winnie Byanyima, who is supposed to be a defence witness, to leave the court room.

Besigye’s lawyers and the State Attorney clashed over one of the witnesses, Malita Namayanja a.k.a Mama Chaama, with each side claiming she was their witness.

Throughout the hearing, Besigye looked pensive, resting his chin on his hand as he jotted down notes.

Kyakuwa occasionally wiped away tears from her eyes and looked straight into Besigye’s face.

Kyakuwa broke down as she told the court that when she undertook a sero status test, the results showed she was HIV-positive.

She said the day after the first rape, she told Besigye that she would report the incident to her aunt who had travelled. She said Besigye told her that nobody should know about the rape.

“He said it in a very threatening tone. He asked me: Have you ever heard anybody was put in jail when your father was killed?” she said.

She said her father, Girivazio Tibamanya, was an NRA soldier and was shot dead in 1991. She said by that she understood that some people can kill and get away with it, and she was afraid.

She said the first time Besigye raped her, he found her in the study room alone. He sat beside her, asked about her day and then started touching her thighs.

She said when she asked him what he was doing, he replied that it would be okay, then started fondling her all over.

Kyakuwa said she tried to fight him off, but was no match for him and he carried her to the next room—the guest room.

She said Besigye pinned her down on the bed then forced her shorts off and tore her pants. She said with one hand he held her down and with the other pulled down his truck suit trousers and raped her.
“I felt betrayal,” Kyakuwa, who said Besigye was her guardian at the time, testified.

She said she was brought to Besigye’s home by her aunt, Winnie Byanyima’s friend. She said her aunt told her that Byanyima would find her a job during her senior six vacation.

Kyakuwa said after the rape, Besigye went to the bathroom and returned with a small towel which he gave her and told her to clean herself. She said she was in pain and crying and she ran downstairs where she met the maid and told her what had happened.

She said she was in pain, her private parts hurt and she had bruises there. That night she did not eat supper and even slept in the maid’s room. She said the next day, the maid could not help her with the pain and was forced to go back to Besigye and tell him what she was feeling.

She said Besigye gave her a tube to administer to her private parts after bathing and some two tablets to swallow. She slept in the maid’s room again. She said on Monday morning Besigye drove her to the hostel where she was staying as she went to study at Makerere University.

Kyakuwa said one Sunday, Besigye was taking her back to the hostel but passed it and instead headed for Bombo. On the way they had an accident and both were admitted to Mulago Hospital.