Man jailed 15 years for defiling granddaughter

By Petride Mudoola

Godfrey Wekale will have to serve a 15-year jail term after the High Court in Mukono sentenced him for defiling his 12-year-old granddaughter.

Justice Vincent Zehurikize convicted the 47-year-old man after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

“While the convict is remorseful and has pleaded guilty, the crime he committed on his own granddaughter was a serious offence. There is need to send a strong message to other would-be offenders that such acts cannot be tolerated by court,” Zehirikize stated.

He told Wekale that if he is not satisfied with the verdict, he has a right to appeal to the Court of Appeal with 14 days, as provided by the law.

Court heard that on December 2009, the convict – of Lweza in Wakiso district – had sexual intercourse with an underage girl.

Prosecution led by Rachael Nabwire heard that the incident happened when the victim decided to pay his grandparents a visit during the festive season. It is said that that was the time the incident occurred.

The victim, a Primary Six pupil then, told Court that on the fateful day, when she was a sleep, she realized that she was having sex with some body.

By using the light which was in the room, the victim managed to identify her grandfather Wekale as he tried to sneak out of the room.  But he threated her and directed her not to tell anyone about what had happened.

Since then, Wekale started having sex with her whener he returned home.           

But on January 4 the following year, the victim’s grandmother noticed something unusual in the way the young girl walked.

And so upon inspection, the truth was finally out. When the matter was reported to police, Wekale was arrested, which led to his subsequent prosecution.

Prosecution asked court to give the convict a deterrent sentence, which would act as a warning lesson to potential other such offenders.

“Wekale was a person in authority over the young girl and was expected to take care of her but chose  to  lure her into sex. We pray that he is given a maximum sentence as this court’s discretion allows,” prosecution asked court.

However, the defense lawyer Jackline Kagoya asked court to be lenient to his client, saying that he was remorseful of the act committed and that the three years he has spent on remand should also be considered before passing verdict.