Teenager sues IDI over circumcision gone wrong

What you need to know:

  • Justification. The 14-year-old says he was forcibly circumcised while he was a pupil at Kalangala Primary School.

Kampala.

A 14-year-old boy has sued the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) for allegedly circumcising him without the consent of his parents.
Bruno Angel, who is suing the health facility through his friend, Mr Enock Turinawe, says the act has caused him permanent injuries and pain on his private parts.
Angel, in his May 24 law suit, claims that IDI staff between June15 and June 23, 2017 forcibly circumcised him while he was a pupil at Kalangala Primary School.
“The said servants of the defendant (health facility) at their own initiative assumed a duty of circumcising the plaintiff (Bruno) without any consent and knowledge of his parents,” reads in part the suit. Angel says before circumcising him, they reasoned that they were implementing a government programme of circumcising male children.

Parents not aware
“The plaintiff (Bruno) informed the said servants that his parents were not in support of their action but argued that they were executing government orders to circumcise the male children,” the court documents add.
The minor, in his law suit, avers that upon being forcibly circumcised, IDI staff asked him not to mention the same to his parents and lured him with bottles of juice and biscuits.
Angel also claims that the institute did not treat him despite several requests.
“The plaintiff’s parents came to know about the said un-consented circumcision when he could no longer move due to severe bleeding, swelling of testicles and penis, too much pain and pus flowing out of his penis.” the court documents add.
The teenager now contends that due to refusal by IDI staff to treat his injuries, he has suffered severe pain, torture and financial loss for which he is seeking compensation.