Athletics coach Wemali returns to court on May 25

By Daniel Edyegu

Peter Wemali, the former police athletics coach accused of defilement has been on remand in Kapchorwa prison for a month now.

Wemali is under fire for allegedly seducing and infecting female athletes with HIV/AIDS.

He is on remand as police and prosecution gather evidence in the complex case that has kept changing face.

Kapchorwa magistrate’s court yesterday remanded Wemali until May 25 when the case will come up for mention.

With the date for completion of investigations still unknown, his lawyer Martin Anukur of Anukur company advocates is already processing bail for his client.

“Our client Wemali suffers from hypertension and ‘serious’ ulcers,” Anukur said.

“On May 12, we reached out to the regional prisons doctor Martin Marambe to examine him and he too confirmed the problems. Given the conditions in our prisons, his problems are likely to worsen.”

Three underage athletes accused Wemali of coercing them into sexual intercourse in 2013.

Whereas court had earlier preferred a charge of rape against Wemali, this was changed to aggravated defilement as a police medical examination on the accused found out that he is HIV positive.

Police medical tests on the three complainants (female athletes) have also turned out HIV positive.

Three more former female athletes have filed complaints against Wemali accusing him of child neglect after fathering children with them and failing to care for them.

Police is currently in the process of getting a DNA medical examination at the government laboratory for the three new complainants.

But Anukur took a swipe at the police for delaying the process of rendering justice to Wemali.

“This case was investigated by police in 2013 after similar allegations came up and the accused was cleared,” Anukur stated.

“By the time police charged Wemali, first with rape this year, we thought they had concluded investigations.

“Secondly, if prosecution claims that Wemali infected the female athletes with HIV/AIDS in 2013, how sure are we that it is not the young athletes who infected Wemali with the virus?” Anukur asked.

RELATED STORIES:

Uganda's athletics coach arrested for alleged rape

Punches exchanged at chaotic Jinja cross-country event

Uganda's athletics coach accused of infecting girls with HIV