HIV+ man gets 30 years for defilement

By Osman Draga
 
The High Court in Arua has sentenced a 54-year-old HIV positive man to 30 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of aggravated defilement.

Justice Yasin Nyanzi ruled that Wadri Van Valere defiled the girl well aware that he was HIV positive.
 
Wadri, who committed the offence on December 25, 2010 at Adraka village in Logiri sub-county in Arua district, has been on remand for the last two years.
 
Prosecution told court that on the fateful day, Wadri grabbed the victim who was coming from seeing a film and took her to the nearby bush from where he forcefully went down on her.
 
Court further heard that after defiling the victim, the accused threatened to kill her if she dared reveal what had happened.
 
Prosecution led by state attorney Gertrude Nyipir adduced five witnesses to testify against Wadri.
 
Justice Nyanzi sentenced the accused to 30 years behind bars, saying defilement has reached a level where courts need to give stiffer sentences to the offenders in order to restore discipline in society.