Man sentenced to 63 years for defiling three sisters

CRIME

High court in Masaka on Monday sentenced a 38-year-old man to 63 years imprisonment for defiling three girls, all below 10 years.

Samula Matovu, a resident of Kasambya village, Kisekka sub-county in Lwengo district, was found guilty of the offenses and will serve the sentence with hard labour.

Court presided over by Lady Justice Winfred Nabisinde heard that Matovu committed the offences on   October 8 2015 and November 11 2015 respectively.

By the time of the offence, the girls were 9, 8 and 6 years although three years passed before the judgment.

Prosecution led by Aminah Akasa said Matovu first defiled two sisters 

(9 and 8 years) who had gone to collect water from a borehole.

It was at 6pm when he persuaded them to go to the bush after promising them money and presents.

They girls never disclosed it to anyone fearing to be punished by their mother.

As if this was not enough for him, Matovu's urge for another minor kicked in. He persuaded the third girl (youngest) on November 11 2015.

It is said the 6-year-old was returning home from school when Matovu called her for a chapati. In the process, he took her in his house where he defiled her.

Her parents got concerned after waiting for several hours for her to return in vain.

It is amid their search that Matovu's land lady, Mastulah Nanyunja informed the parents about a little girl she saw entering a tenant's house.

According to the charge sheet, Nanyunja thought it was his (Matovu's) daughter and never put her mind to it.

They checked the house and found the girl bleeding. 

A mob pounced on him in attempt to lynch him but Nanyunja told them to hand him over to the authorities.

However, other two girls also revealed to their mother the previous incident (8th October story). A medical report confirmed they had been defiled.

We didn't feel pain

Being minors, they gave their testimony in chambers. Asked whether they felt pain during the sexual act in the bush, the older girls unexpectedly said they never felt anything.

Despite the judge's repeated probing, they maintained their statement. To the defence team they were not penetrated as it were for their youngest sister.

Sentence

The defence lawyer Regina Babukiika appealed to court for a lenient sentence since the defendant is still youthful and could be more productive to the state. 

She further explained that her client did not realise the  girls were sisters.

"Even the victims have confirmed to court that it was not so painful," Babukiika prayed.

However, the Justice Nabisinde gave him 21 years on each of the three accounts.

Matovu, who has been on remand for over two years, said he had reformed but wondered why the judgment was not fair to him.