Kabale High Court has sentenced two men to prison terms after they pleaded guilty to separate charges of aggravated defilement involving minors in Rukiga and Kisoro districts.
Justice Karoli Lwanga Ssemogerere sentenced Dickson Kamuhanda Midego, 26, a resident of Nyakarambi Village in Rukiga District, to 14 years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to aggravated defilement and aggravated trafficking in children.
The court on Wednesday heard that Kamuhanda committed the offences on October 27, 2021, at Nyakarambi Village.
Prosecution told court that at about midday, the 14-year-old victim had been sent to deliver food to her aunt, who was being detained at Rukiga Police Station.
On her way back, she reportedly met Kamuhanda, a boda boda rider and resident of the same area, who offered her a lift on his motorcycle.
Prosecution said the girl accepted the lift but Kamuhanda later took her to an isolated place, where he forced her off the motorcycle and sexually assaulted her.
The matter was reported to Rukiga Police Station, leading to Kamuhanda’s arrest on October 30, 2021.
His lawyers asked court for a lenient sentence, arguing that he was remorseful and had saved court’s time by pleading guilty instead of requiring a full trial.
Justice Ssemogerere sentenced him to 14 years’ imprisonment, taking into account the four years and nine months he had already spent on remand.
The court ordered that the sentence on the two counts run consecutively.
Kamuhanda will therefore serve nine years, two months and five days after credit for the period already spent in custody.
In a separate case, the same court sentenced Elias Bikorowomuhangi, 21, a resident of Buzaniro Village, Nyundo Sub-county in Kisoro District, to 20 years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to aggravated defilement involving his two-year-old niece.
The court heard that the offence was committed on March 11, 2023, in Buzaniro Village.
Prosecution said Bikorowomuhangi took the child into a visitor’s room at her grandmother’s home and closed the door behind them.
The court heard that the child was later subjected to a medical examination, which established that she was below 14 years of age.
Bikorowomuhangi was arrested and charged with aggravated defilement. Prosecution said he initially denied the offence but admitted knowing the victim.
In passing sentence, Justice Ssemogerere took into account the period Bikorowomuhangi had spent on remand since 2023 and reduced the custodial term accordingly.
He was ordered to serve 16 years in prison.