COURT | SEMATIMBA | CHILD CUSTODY 

KAMPALA - A woman has asked court not to grant former Busiro  South MP Peter Sematimba custody of their 10-year-old child.

On May 28, 2021, Sematimba filed a case in the Family and Children’s Court at Makindye, seeking custody of the child and Joan Namatovu (mother) be allowed visitation rights.

However, in her defence filed in court last week, Namatovu describes Sematimba as a short-tempered person. She says the former legislator has on several occasions acted violently towards her and the daughter.

“It is not in our daughter’s best interest that Sematimba is granted custody,” she says. Namatovu says save for rent, she has been catering for the child. The matter was handled by Grade Two Magistrate John Robert Okipi.

“It is not true that Sematimba was providing for the minor’s basic needs in totality,” she says. Namatovu says she is the biological mother of the child.

Through her lawyers, Namatovu contends that whatever Sematimba stated in his affidavit is a pack of lies and outright conjecture deliberately designed to mislead court.

“The application filed by Sematimba is grossly misconceived, bad in law, frivolous, and tainted with falsehood,” Namatovu says.

She, therefore, requested court to dismiss the application with costs.

Relationship 

Namatovu says she was hired to work at Sematimba’s home at Rubaga in Kampala. However, in the course of her employment, Namatovu claims that she was tricked and lured by Sematimba into having sexual intercourse.

Subsequently, Namatovu says she got pregnant and Sematimba rented for her a house in Zzana, not Namasuba as he (Sematimba) purports.

Namatovu says she stayed in Zzana for three years until the landlord requested them to vacate the house to renovate it.

This prompted her and the daughter to shift to Lunguja, Rubaga division in Kampala district.

“I continued working for the applicant and he would have sexual intercourse with me, then drive me and the child back home in Zzana at night and the same continued when I shifted to Lunguja,” she claims.

Sematimba's case 

Sematimba says he had an intimate relationship with Namatovu, which resulted in conception of the child.

He says he rented an apartment at Namasuba for Namatovu and daughter and bought everything they needed but they abandoned the rental premises.

Sematimba says he has been paying fees for the child at Hormisdallen Primary School and later at Galaxy International School since she was aged three.

Sematimba says Namatovu has not only refused to hand over the child but also denied him access.

“I have the capacity to care for the child because I have exhibited this exceptional parenting love and care,” he said.