Defiler uncle gets eight years in jail
Jul 03, 2007
AS an uncle, Robert Mugisha should have been a moral beacon to his 10-year- old niece but when he induced her into sex, court jailed him for eight years. On Monday, the Court of Appeal, which Mugisha had asked to quash his sentence, instead upheld it.
By Hillary Nsambu
AS an uncle, Robert Mugisha should have been a moral beacon to his 10-year- old niece but when he induced her into sex, court jailed him for eight years. On Monday, the Court of Appeal, which Mugisha had asked to quash his sentence, instead upheld it.
Prosecution told court that Mugisha, aged 23 then, a resident of Kyakahinda village in Kabarole district, lured his victim with sh200 or sh500 each time he slept with her.
The acts committed in 2002, court heard, went on till the girl reported the ordeal to her parents. Prosecution said when the matter was made public, a family meeting was called where Mugisha was asked to make a defence.
He allegedly left the meeting without saying anything. He was discovered in his room trying to hang himself. He was rescued and handed over to the Police.
When the case appeared for mention in May 2002 before Justice Eldad Mwangusya of the High Court in Fort Portal, Mugisha accused the victim’s parents of begrudging him.
Justice Mwangusya, however, found him guilty of defilement and sentenced him to eight years behind bars.
Mugisha asked the appeal court to reduce his sentence, saying it was harsh. However, the three-justice panel, headed by Justice Galdino Magellan Okello, dismissed his appeal.
“The appellant abused the hospitality of the victim’s parents, who had looked after him for over 10 years. “Worse still, he introduced the little girl into early sexual escapades when he was her uncle. The sentence of eight years imprisonment is neither harsh nor excessive,†ruled the judges.
AS an uncle, Robert Mugisha should have been a moral beacon to his 10-year- old niece but when he induced her into sex, court jailed him for eight years. On Monday, the Court of Appeal, which Mugisha had asked to quash his sentence, instead upheld it.
Prosecution told court that Mugisha, aged 23 then, a resident of Kyakahinda village in Kabarole district, lured his victim with sh200 or sh500 each time he slept with her.
The acts committed in 2002, court heard, went on till the girl reported the ordeal to her parents. Prosecution said when the matter was made public, a family meeting was called where Mugisha was asked to make a defence.
He allegedly left the meeting without saying anything. He was discovered in his room trying to hang himself. He was rescued and handed over to the Police.
When the case appeared for mention in May 2002 before Justice Eldad Mwangusya of the High Court in Fort Portal, Mugisha accused the victim’s parents of begrudging him.
Justice Mwangusya, however, found him guilty of defilement and sentenced him to eight years behind bars.
Mugisha asked the appeal court to reduce his sentence, saying it was harsh. However, the three-justice panel, headed by Justice Galdino Magellan Okello, dismissed his appeal.
“The appellant abused the hospitality of the victim’s parents, who had looked after him for over 10 years. “Worse still, he introduced the little girl into early sexual escapades when he was her uncle. The sentence of eight years imprisonment is neither harsh nor excessive,†ruled the judges.