Man arrested for allegedly defiling daughter

Police in Kagadi-Kibaale District are holding a 38-year-old man on charges of defiling his 7-year-old daughter and infecting her with HIV.

Sande Christopher, who has been on Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) for about 2 years, is a resident of Buhumuliro Village in Rugashari sub-county, Kibaale district.

The suspect was arrested by police from Isunga two weeks ago and transferred to Kibaale district Police headquarters but released under unclear circumstances according to Jane Batengeta, the grandmother of the victim.

Batengeta told New Vision that her son was first arrested after the victim revealed her father was forcefully having canal knowledge with her every night.

Batengeta and her granddaughter are residents of Kanyangoma village in Kagadi sub county, Kibaale district.

Batengeta said that she first learnt of her grandchild's ordeal from neighbours whom the girl told that she was feeling a lot of pain in the private parts because her father had threatened to kill her if she dares reveal the matter to the grandmother.

"When Mrs. Kyaligonza told me that the girl was complaining of pain in the private parts I decided to examine her and discovered that some substance like pus was oozing from there," said Batengeta.

She said that in a short while residents gathered in their home after learning of the incident and wanted to lynch Sande but was saved by the village chairman who rushed him to police.

Batengeta said that when she talked to the girl she told her that her father was sleeping with her every night although she had a separate bed in the same house.

She said that when she tried to ask Sande why he was sharing a bed with his daughter he claimed that he wanted to warm the girl during the night.

Batengeta said after discovering that her son was having canal knowledge with the granddaughter she broke down in tears wondering what could have befallen her family.

"I broke down in tears after learning that my son Sande was sleeping with his biological daughter," said Batengeta.

She said that Sande does not stay at her home but only came to visit her after Easter and he was sickly.

Batengeta said that Sande separated with the mother to the victim identified as Scovia Kusemererwa some four years back under unclear circumstances.

Since then Sunde has never remarried.

Christopher Sunday is a resident of Buhumuliro where he shifted to from Kanyangoma village in Kagadi Sub County.

Batengeta said that Sande would on several occasions take the girl to Buhumuliro and spend two to three months with her and later return her and that she did not know he was defiling her.

For the last 3 weeks Batengeta has been staying with girl in the village because she has no money to take her to a health facility.

She said that it was the effort of World Voices Uganda, a non-governmental organization operating in Kibaale that came to their aid and promised to meet all the costs to treat her.

The girl is now admitted at Kagadi Government Hospital in the pediatric (children's) ward.

Kefa Madir in charge of the HIV clinic at Kagadi Hospital told New Vision that he examined the girl and found scars in the private parts and the uterus is infected.

Madira said that the girl is feeling a lot of lower abdominal pain and they have given her antibiotics.

He said that she was also screened for HIV and unfortunately she was found positive and has been introduced to ARVs as a government policy.

"This girl will have to spend all her life time on ARVs," said Madira.

Sande was on Saturday night re-arrested by Local Council officials in Buhumuliro after a tip off by concerned residents and transferred to Kagadi police station where he is currently being detained.

Sande while at Kagadi Police station denied the allegations with contradictory statements and said he has never produced any child but later admitted having been staying with the daughter in the same house but denied having had canal knowledge with his daughter.

Batengeta appealed to the general public and people of good will to render necessary assistance to her as she has no help.

She wants the mother of the Victim Scovia Kusemererwa wherever she is to come and rescue her child.

Efforts to get a comment from the district crime intelligence officer Ben Mugisha were futile by press time as he did not pick calls.