Police officer arrested for allegedly defiling 13-year-old daughter
Police said preliminary investigations indicate that the alleged abuse began in 2025 when Owilli and the girl were living at Kabulasoke Police Station, where he was then attached.
The suspect was subsequently arrested and detained as investigations continue. (File photo)
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Police in Gomba District are investigating a serving police officer accused of repeatedly defiling his 13-year-old biological daughter over a period of more than a year.
The suspect, identified as Cpl. Milton Owilli, is attached to Kanoni Central Police Station and is currently in police custody as investigations continue.
According to the police case filed at Kanoni police station under reference number CRB: 754/2026, the alleged offences occurred between 2025 and September 2026 while the suspect and the victim were living together.
The case was reported on September 21, 2026, by Joweria Namugerwa, 37, a senior probation officer in Gomba.
The victim, whose identity has been withheld because she is a juvenile, is a 13-year-old pupil at Kanoni Umea Primary School and a resident of Kanoni Police Barracks.
Police said preliminary investigations indicate that the alleged abuse began in 2025 when Owilli and the girl were living at Kabulasoke Police Station, where he was then attached.
The police report alleges that the suspect engaged in sexual intercourse with his daughter on several occasions before he was transferred to Kanoni Central Police Station, where the two continued living together.
According to the case file, the victim told investigators that the alleged acts occurred whenever her father returned home intoxicated.
Police further allege that the suspect warned the girl against disclosing the matter to other children living in the police barracks.
The report states that whenever the victim resisted, she was allegedly assaulted and forced to leave their residential unit, after which she sought temporary accommodation from neighbours without explaining the circumstances.
Police said the girl later disclosed the alleged abuse to some female juveniles, although the matter was not immediately reported.
The case came to the attention of the Officer in Charge of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence desk and the Divisional Criminal Investigations Directorate officer on August 20, 2026.
The suspect was subsequently arrested and detained as investigations continue.
Investigation
Police said a statement was obtained from the victim, the complainant and other relevant witnesses.
Investigators visited and documented the alleged scene, while other evidence was collected for forensic examination.
Detectives are also expected to further interrogate the suspect and establish the whereabouts of the victim’s biological mother, who is reportedly not in contact with the girl.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the allegations and gather sufficient evidence to complete the case file.
Defilement cases
The case comes amid continued reports of defilement involving children in Uganda.
According to the 2025 annual police crime report, 10,492 cases of defilement were reported last year, compared to 12,312 cases reported in 2024.
Of the cases reported in 2025, a total of 7,019 cases were classified as simple defilement while 3,473 cases were aggravated defilement cases.
Police said 4,886 cases were taken to court, resulting in 713 convictions, while other cases were acquitted, dismissed or remained pending.
A total of 4,999 suspects were arrested and charged in court in connection with defilement cases during the year.
The police statistics further indicate that 10,493 victims of defilement were recorded in 2025, including 10,328 female juveniles and 128 male juveniles.