A woman in Wakiso District is seeking protection from her husband, who has reportedly threatened to kill her for reporting him to police for allegedly defiling their five-year-old daughter and subsequently leading to his incarceration.
Ms Maureen Atuhaire, a resident of Kasengejje in Wakiso Town Council, Wakiso District, says she is living in fear following the arrest of her husband, Mr Clement Mugarura, whom she accuses of sexually abusing their daughter on three separate occasions.
She alleges her husband took advantage of her absence from the immediate vicinity to take their daughter into a nearby house, where he sexually abused her.
‘I have caught him twice when he is defiling our daughter. The third time it’s my daughter who reported to me,’ Ms Atuhaire said during an interview on October 25, adding that at all instances, he threatened to beat their daughter if she reported the matter to her.
Ms Atuhaire said that the first time she caught the husband in the act, the suspect allegedly pleaded for forgiveness and promised not to repeat the offence.
She alleges that her husband later abused the child again, forcing her to report the matter to the police.
The mother says the ordeal has left her traumatised, especially after the suspect allegedly threatened to kill her for having him arrested.
‘Even when he is in prison, I am still afraid because he has threatened to kill me for reporting him,’ she said, asking authorities to ensure that she is given protection and justice is served.
The suspect is currently on remand at Kigo Prison as investigations into the allegations continue.
Ms Atuhaire said her husband was expected to appear before the Wakiso Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday but the court did not sit because the magistrate was reportedly unavailable.
Ms Atuhaire’s troubles have reportedly been compounded by a housing dispute, with the landlord reportedly asking her to vacate the house where she had been staying with her husband. She says the couple had been occupying the property as caretakers.
‘The man was brought here as a caretaker of the land. The landlord has now asked me to vacate his house, claiming I cannot manage the work and now I’m stranded; I have nowhere to go,’ she said.
Residents have also raised concern about Atuhaire’s husband, alleging that he had previously sexually abused another child in the family.
They claim that the earlier incident involved a child of his sister, who allegedly sustained injuries in her private parts.
The residents have appealed to authorities and well-wishers to help Atuhaire and ensure her safety, warning that the alleged threats have heightened fears for her well-being.
‘He has been beating her several times. He puts her in a water tank and beats her. Her husband also ties his daughter on a mango tree in their compound and beats her,’ Mr Julius Kato, a neighbour said.
The Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, has urged members of the public experiencing similar challenges to report them to the authorities promptly.
He said early reporting enables the authorities to intervene and provide assistance.
‘Such criminals are not supposed to be in public. We shall sweep all of them,’ Mr Owoyesigyire said.
The Wakiso Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Ms Angel Namulimbe, assured Ms Atuhaire and other residents that the authorities would do everything possible to protect them.
The case comes amid continuing concerns about child sexual abuse and the need for families and communities to report offences to the authorities.
According to the 2025 Uganda Police Force annual crime report, a total of 10,492 cases of defilement were reported to police, compared to 12,312 reported in 2024.
Out of the total number of defilement cases reported in 2025, 7,019 constituted simple defilement while 3,473 were aggravated in nature.
The police report further reveals that out of these, 4,886 cases of defilement were taken to court, 713 secured convictions, 27 were acquitted, 355 dismissed and 3,791 are still pending in court, 1,932 were not proceeded with while 3,674 cases are still under inquiry.
A total of 4,999 defilement suspects were arrested and charged in court, out of whom 740 were convicted, 332 discharged, 27 acquitted, 3,900 are undergoing trial and 332 were discharged.
CURRENT TREND
According to the 2025 Uganda Police Force annual crime report, a total of 10,492 cases of defilement were reported to police, compared to 12,312 reported in 2024.
Out of the total number of defilement cases reported in 2025, 7,019 constituted simple defilement while 3,473 were aggravated in nature.
The police report further reveals that out of these, 4,886 cases of defilement were taken to court, 713 secured convictions, 27 were acquitted, 355 dismissed and 3,791 are still pending in court, 1,932 were not proceeded with while 3,674 cases are still under inquiry.