Pallisa dogs case probed

May 25, 2009

INTERNAL affairs minister Matia Kasaija has ordered the Police to investigate the case of a woman in Pallisa who was forced by her husband to breastfeed his dogs,

INTERNAL affairs minister Matia Kasaija has ordered the Police to investigate the case of a woman in Pallisa who was forced by her husband to breastfeed his dogs, reports Patrick Jaramogi.

“We shall send a team from the CID headquarters to investigate this case and bring it to the logical conclusion,” Kasaija told The New Vision yesterday.

“This is a serious matter. I will ensure that this woman gets justice.”

Kasaija, who described the news as shocking, said he could not understand how such abuses could take place without the victims seeking help.

“How can a man force his wife to breastfeed dogs? How can such a thing happen in this modern world where we have Police?”

The minister said he had called the Pallisa district Police chief, Amos Gumisiriza, to explain. “Should our investigations reveal that the Police mishandled the case, the officers will be held responsible,” he warned.

Jennifer Alupot, aged 27, a resident of Okorotok village in Apopong sub-county, told The New Vision on Saturday that her husband, Nathan Amoloi, had subjected her to breastfeeding his five puppies.

A breastfeeding mother, Alupot had been married to him for eight years. The couple has three children, the youngest being three months old.

Reacting to the story, published in yesterday’s newspaper, the Association of Female Lawyers in Uganda (FIDA) offered free legal services to the woman.

“We shall provide legal assistance and work with the Police to ensure that this lady gets justice,” said Allen Asimwe, the FIDA board chairperson.

Asimwe said it was sad that the Police had failed to address the real issue. “The Police are talking of charging Alupot’s husband with child neglect and assault. What about the mental torture and bodily harm caused to her?” she said.

Rita Achiro of the Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) said they were mobilising support from other rights groups. “We want the woman to be medically examined to find what ailments this might have caused her.”

In a closed meeting in Ntinda yesterday, women activists vowed to put pressure on the Police to ensure that women are accorded justice in all the cases they report.

Alupot was yesterday transferred from the Pallisa Revival Pentecostal ministries, where she had taken refuge, to the trauma treatment centre of Action Aid.

“We had reports that her security was threatened and we decided to transfer her to the women’s centre, which is more secure,” said Caroline Odoi of Action Aid.

Monday Kinty, the RDC of Pallisa, said the Internal Security Organisation was also investigating the case.

“That man will be arrested for those crimes. We can’t sit back and watch when women are battered. I have instructed the Apopong GISO to investigate the matter,” he said.

Amoloi, who is in his 30s, earns a living by hunting and roasting squirrels.

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