Rising cases of women killing their husbands worries Judges

By Francis Emorut                          

Kenyan Chief Justice, Willy Mutunga, and Judges of Uganda have expressed concern of the rising cases of women killing their husbands and chopping of their genitals saying something should be done.

Jinja High Court Judge Lady Justice Basasa Waswa pointed out that every day one opens a news-paper cases of women taking law into their hands are rampant and the trend is worrying.

“Every day a woman has taken the law into her hands. Cut the man’s genital this has taken the media by storm,” Basasa said.


 

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High Court Judge, Lady Justice Basaza Wasswa (left) and Lady Justice, Magaret Mutonyi during the judicial colloquium on sexual gender based violence in Uganda at Protea Hotel in Kampala on December 15, 2014. Photo/ Francis Emorut

 

Last week a woman in Busoga region chopped the sexual organ of her husband who is hospitalised in Mulago Hospital and recently a woman in Gulu was sentenced to community labour after she killed her husband following domestic dispute.

The head of War Crimes Division Court Justice Moses Mukiibi said the women in northern Uganda have suffered the brunt of massive rape, sexual exploitation and abduction and as a result they are traumatized and no wonder some of them have taken the law into their hands.

He blamed citizens and the learned friends for keeping quiet on what he referred to as complacency.

“There is complicity on part of everybody in maintaining silence and lack of active concern,” Mukiibi said. 

The Chief Justice of Kenya  Mutunga also noted that cases of women killing their husbands were common in Nyeri.

He explained that in Kenya it’s sometimes due to property wrangles and unexplained complex situation.

The judges made the remarks during the judicial colloquium on sexual gender based violence at Protea Hotel in Kampala on Monday.

The colloquium was organized by FIDA-Uganda aimed at providing judges with a platform to have reflections about practice in relation to sexual and gender based violence.

Mutunga observed that sexual gender based violence undermines democracy, national building and promotion of human rights.

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The Chief Justice of Kenya, Justice Willy Mutunga (left) listens to Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Augustine Nshimye during the judicial colloquium on sexual gender based violence in Uganda at Protea Hotel in Kampala on Monday Dec 15, 2014. Right is Justice Lawrence Mukasa. Photo/ Francis Emorut


 

He said institutionally it destabilizes state reconstruction.

He explained that as a result citizens have lost confidence in the ruling governments as they fail to tame the practice.
Lady Justice Damalie Lwanga observed that there is need to amend the Children’s Act because victims of aggravated defilement are minors who go through trauma during court proceedings.

“There are no guidelines to handle aggravated defilement cases. It’s under the mercy of judicial officer. It’s high time we have a law handle victims of sexual gender based violence,” Lwanga said.

She was supported by Lady Justice Margaret Mutenyo who said cases of aggravated defilement are rampant and guidelines on how to deal with them are vital for judicial officers.