14 -year-old accuses UPDF soldier of impregnating her
What you need to know:
Nakapiripirit District chairperson John Nangilo said many girls are being defiled in the district but they find it difficult to intervene since the victims usually prefer negotiations.
KAMPALA. A 14-year-old girl has accused a UPDF soldier attached to 407 brigade in Mourita Sub-county, in Nakapiripirit District of impregnating her.
The minor, who would be clocking 15 years on August 20, claims she was defiled and impregnated by the suspect who later abandoned her in a rented house. While sharing her story at the sidelines of Reach A Hand Uganda’s student-to-student, youth-to-youth dialogue on ending teenage pregnancies and child marriage recently, she said the suspect met her in town with two of her friends and persuaded her to visit him in the barracks.
“When I visited him in the barracks, he asked me to enter his manyata [hut]. He asked me to sit near him that he wanted to tell me a good story. He dragged me to his bed and used me,” she said.
UPDF spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemeire, described the suspect’s actions as criminal and said the Force will take stringent action against him.
“Based on the information you have given us, I tell you we shall take a very firm action. We can’t condone such actions,” Brig Karemeire said.
Nakapiripirit District chairperson John Nangilo said many girls are being defiled in the district but they find it difficult to intervene since the victims usually prefer negotiations.
“Defilement cases are the order of the day in this district. Parents marry off their girls even at 12 years. We have arrested some but majority of these cases don’t come to us,” Mr Nangilo said.
