Man given 16 years for defilement

A 35-year-old man who defiled a nine-year -old girl has been handed a 16 -year jail sentence by the high court in Luwero.

Thomas Sizoomu, a resident of Bombo was sentenced by high court judge Mulangira during a high court session at Luwero court on Wednesday.

Prosecution led by Hanifa Kasana had asked court to hand the accused a deterrent sentence of 40 years imprisonment, saying that the vice of defiling underage girls was rampant in the District.

However, the judge in mitigation sentenced Sizoomu to 16 years considering that he had spent a long time on remand.

Prosecution had earlier told court that the accused who was later found to be HIV positive ,committed the offence on September 12,2012 when he had forceful sexual intercourse with the victim inside an incomplete building in Bombo town.

The victim, who was prosecution witness number 3, said she was returning from market where she had been sent to buy tomatoes, when the suspect trailed her and later dragged her into an incomplete building where he forced her into sexual intercourse.

The victim's father Abdul Aziz who was prosecution witness number2, said he found the girl's pet dress stained with blood prompting him to ask what had happened to her.

The father said he went and reported the matter to Bombo police personnel who arrested the accused.

The investigating officer, D/Sgt John Baptist Ochom who was prosecution witness number 1, said the father of the victim came to Bombo police station with her after she had been defiled.

Ochom said the accused was arrested.