Family accuses politicians of blocking defilement case

Kitgum. A family has accused police and politicians in Kitgum Municipality of intimidation and blocking an investigation into a defilement case allegedly committed by one of the district councillors.
It is alleged that the councillor committed the offence on August 20.
The suspect reportedly pleaded with the family to bribe them in order not to report the matter.
However, the family reported the case to police, but their efforts to see justice have been futile.
“We have been receiving intimidating messages from both police and the political wing. The victim has also been missing for months,” a family member, who preferred anonymity for fear of her life, said.
“They (authorities) are saying they will arrest us and take us to court for defamation yet it is the politician who is in the wrong. We wonder how police and our leaders look at issues in our community because if you want to cover up for a wrong person, then what do you expect us to do?” she added.
The family also accused the police of soliciting bribes from the leaders to hide the file and frustrate the case.
When Daily Monitor contacted the councillor, he denied the allegations, saying it was propaganda meant to tarnish his reputation.
“I have recorded my statement and have been given a police bond as investigations continue,” he said.
The councillor blamed the incident on his neighbour.
“The person who accused me of defilement is my neighbour and we have been having land boundary dispute for sometime now. She is the one tarnishing my name,” he said.
The family also accused a detective attached to Kitgum Police Station, Ms Agnes Apiyo, of causing the victim’s disappearance.
“She called her [victim] back to make an additional statement. She said the one we recorded earlier was not good and when we tried asking to be granted permission to see the statement recorded in our absence, they declined. Days after, our daughter disappeared,” a family member said.
When contacted, Ms Apiyo declined to comment on the matter before hanging up the phone.
The Aswa regional police spokesperson, Mr Jimmy Okema, said they have not received any complaints of intimidation and frustration by police over the case.
According to last year’s police annual crime report, 1,335 cases of rape were reported compared to 1,494 cases in 2016 in Amuria, Kakumiro, Nwoya, Apac, Kira Road Division, Mubende, Mbale, Mbarara and Omoro districts.