MPs slam sh6m fine for Turkish paedophile

By Peter Walubiri

Legislators have criticized a Kampala court decision to fine a Turkish man sh6m for subjecting two Ugandan minors to oral sex.

Emmin Baro, 54, who was found in possession of videos showing two children sucking his genitals pleaded guilty on Tuesday before the Nakawa magistrate’s court and asked for forgiveness.

Baro’s plea was clear: “I am sorry.”

Betty Amongi, the chair, Uganda Women Parliamentary Forum described the sentence as lenient and would not deter future child molesters.  

“The sentence was so lenient. It will be an encouragement to future child molesters in this country that they can get off the hook by paying money. 

“In cases where children are involved, the judiciary should hand down deterrent sentences. In this case, there is no remedy either to the children or their parents,” Amongi said.

She said the Government should “seriously start scrutinizing all foreigners who come to Uganda posing as tourists. 

Winnie Kiiza, the opposition Chief Whip said the sentence was not fair to the children and their parents.

“The judge was so lenient to the offender. That sentence is not deterrent enough and it is not fair to the children and parents of this country,” Kiiza said.

Confession

Baro told court that he used to pay the children between sh5,000 and sh10,000 to suck his genitals.

He said he would get children, take them to his residence and ask them to do what he wanted.

“I would then use the pictures on my home page (social media) but I never had any other motive,” he claimed.

Prosecution alleges that Baro was nabbed on March 12 at Bugumba village in Iganga district.

Emmin Baro admitted that he posted sexually explicit pictures of him and the minors on his social media page

Court appearance

The defense lawyer, Emmanuel Ilukor, asked court to give the accused a light sentence of deporting him back to his country because he is a foreigner.

“The accused has shown remorsefulness. His family is missing him since he is the sole bread winner” Ilukol told court.

Magistrate Ngabirano, while sentencing Baro, said she meted out a light sentence because the accused pleaded guilty without wasting court’s time.

“You have pleaded guilty and it is the reason I will be lenient. Pornography is unacceptable in our society,” Ngabirano said, before sentencing him to a fine of 300 currency points (equivalent to sh6m) or imprisonment for 2 years. He was by yesterday still in Luzira prison as he failed to pay the fine.

On his arrest, Police initially suspected him to be involved in child trafficking.

Criminal record

New Vision online has learnt that Baro was in Kenya before he moved to Uganda. He was also suspected to have been in Tanzania at some point in time.

In January 2009, Baro was charged before a Malindi court in Kenya after he was found allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old Kenyan girl.

He was charged before Malindi Senior Resident Magistrate Dominica Nyanibu and denied the charge, according to the Kenyan media.

It was alleged that Baro, on the night of January 8 and 9 2009, at Kenya Mpya Lodging in Malindi town in Malindi district, defiled a 15-year-old girl.

The Kenya media at the time quoted Malindi police chief, John Kariuki as saying that Baro confessed that the girl had been handed to him by her mother to teach her sex and marry her when she turned 18.

But the girl’s mother denied the claims, saying Baro had instead offered to help the pupil get admission to a school in Machakos.

The Kenyan police found Baro naked inside one of the rooms of the brothel after forcing the door open as the girl, who was also naked, lay in bed.

After he was charged, Baro was released on court bail. It is not clear when and how Baro moved to Uganda.