Kiboga herdsman acquitted of defilement
Sep 13, 2007
THE Court of Appeal recently acquitted a 30-year-old herdsman of defilement charges. The High Court had sentenced Lawrence Kiiza of Katoogo village in Kiboga district to 14 years in prison.
By Hillary Nsambu
THE Court of Appeal recently acquitted a 30-year-old herdsman of defilement charges. The High Court had sentenced Lawrence Kiiza of Katoogo village in Kiboga district to 14 years in prison.
Judges Christine Kitumba, Constance Kategaya Byamugisha and Stephen Kavuma ruled that they were not satisfied with the prosecution’s statement.
“The victim did not voluntarily tell her parents what had happened until she was quizzed and threatened. She was not distressed on the day of the alleged defilement. We, therefore, quash the conviction, set aside the sentence and set the appellant free,†they ruled.
Court had heard that Kiiza, a herdsman in the home of the victim, in 1999 allegedly lured her to graze calves away from her home and took advantage of her.
She returned the calves home late angering her parents who threatened to beat her, prompting her to tell them that Katoogo had defiled her.
THE Court of Appeal recently acquitted a 30-year-old herdsman of defilement charges. The High Court had sentenced Lawrence Kiiza of Katoogo village in Kiboga district to 14 years in prison.
Judges Christine Kitumba, Constance Kategaya Byamugisha and Stephen Kavuma ruled that they were not satisfied with the prosecution’s statement.
“The victim did not voluntarily tell her parents what had happened until she was quizzed and threatened. She was not distressed on the day of the alleged defilement. We, therefore, quash the conviction, set aside the sentence and set the appellant free,†they ruled.
Court had heard that Kiiza, a herdsman in the home of the victim, in 1999 allegedly lured her to graze calves away from her home and took advantage of her.
She returned the calves home late angering her parents who threatened to beat her, prompting her to tell them that Katoogo had defiled her.