Eight arrested as police probe Kiboga child marriage
“On Thursday, our police made an intelligence-led operation in Kagoga village, Kyomya sub-county in Kiboga district, where they arrested eight people who were in the process of marrying off a 16-year-old girl.
“Dowry items like sugar, soap, rice, meat, 3 Gomesi, 2 Kanzus, among others, were recovered as exhibits,” Kigozi added.
KIBOGA - Police in Kiboga district are holding eight suspects who detectives say were in the process of marrying off a girl below 18 years of consent.
Lamech Kigozi, the Wamala Region police spokesperson, said the eight were arrested after receiving a tip-off.
“On Thursday, our police made an intelligence-led operation in Kagoga village, Kyomya sub-county in Kiboga district, where they arrested eight people who were in the process of marrying off a 16-year-old girl.
Kigozi revealed that birth records in a document from an informer indicate that the "bride", a student at one of the schools in Bukomero, was born on June, 12, 2010.
“Dowry items like sugar, soap, rice, meat, 3 Gomesi, 2 Kanzus, among others, were recovered as exhibits,” Kigozi added.
He identified the suspects as Yunus Kiyingi, Robina Luwedde, Allen Namubiru, Mathias Kawuki, David Sande Walulya, Jacob Kafeero, and Esther Tusibira.
The bride, Names withheld, is also in custody pending more investigations.
“The suspects are being held at Kiboga Central police station. Charges of defilement and procuring defilement have been preferred against the eight people waiting for sanctioning by the Resident State Attorney of Kiboga,” Kigozi stated.
The Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report 2025, released early this month, indicated that a total of 10,492 cases of defilement were reported to Police in 2025, compared to 12,312 reported in 2024, giving a decrease of 14.8%. Out of the total number of defilement cases reported in 2025, 7,019 constituted simple defilement, while 3,473 were aggravated in nature.
Out of these, 4,886 cases of defilement were taken to Court, 713 secured convictions, 27 acquitted, 355 dismissed, and 3,791 are still pending in Court, 1,932 were not proceeded with, while 3,674 cases are still under inquiry.
A total of 4,999 suspects of defilement were arrested and charged to court, out of whom 740 were convicted, 332 discharged, 27 acquitted, 3,900 are undergoing trial, and 332 were discharged.