House maid jailed 40 years over baby torture

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A house maid has been sentenced to 40 years in prison over torturing a toddler under her care 

Precious Tumuheirwe, who was captured in a viral video torturing a baby in the bathroom, was on January 3, 2025, sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to the aggravated torture of a 4-year-old baby. 

Chief magistrate Shallon Niwaha of Kira Magistrates Court in Wakiso district promptly sentenced Tumuheirwe on her own plea of guilty.

The arrest 

The Police on Saturday arrested Tumuheirwe

Kampala metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said the maid was intercepted on a bus in Kabale district and arrested.

Owoyesigyire said the torture incident occurred the night of December 27, 2024, in Kikoko Zone, Namataba cell, Kira municipality in Wakiso district.

The video in which 35-year-old Tumuheirwe is seen stretching the child’s body, bending her legs and severely torturing her, drew a lot of social media condemnation.

Owoyesigyire revealed that the victim is four-year-old Claire Tumwekwase.

"The suspect, employed as a housemaid, fled the scene following the incident, but has since been apprehended in Kabale district. Arrangements are underway to transport her to Kira division," Owoyesigyire said on Saturday.

He said the victim is currently receiving medical treatment at Nsambya Hospital.

"Preliminary findings indicate that the victim’s father, Micheal Mwesigwe, a 35-year-old resident of Kikonko-Kirinya, has been the primary caregiver for his children following a separation with the children's mother two years ago," Owoyesigyire said.

He urged the public to report any cases of abuse to the nearest Police station.

This is not the first time a maid has been caught on camera torturing a child.

Past cases

In December 2014, Jolly Tumuheirwe was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for assaulting a toddler. She was released in 2017 after serving her jail term in Luzira Prison.

This was after she was filmed kicking, beating and stamping at the child in a revenge attack after she was beaten by the child's mother.

She was caught on camera after the child’s father, Eric Kamanzi, installed cameras in the house. On November 7, Stella Namawejje, 34, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for feeding a toddler on faeces.

Passing the judgement on November 7, 2024, court presided over by Masaka Chief Magistrate Aloysius Natwijuka said court took into consideration that the convict was a first offender who did not waste court's time and was remorseful.

Statistics

According to the 2023 annual Police crime report, there were 10,741 child-related offences reported in 2023 compared to 13,489 cases reported in 2022.

These cases include child abuse/torture, child neglect, child stealing, child kidnap and child trafficking. Of the total number of cases reported, a total of 886 cases of child abuse/torture were reported in 2023 compared to 1,240 cases reported in 2022.