Police officers on the spot over defilement

Gulu. Three police constables in Acholi Sub-region face trial over allegations of defilement and rape.
Two of the suspects were working at Kitgum Central Police Station and Palaro Police Post in Palaro Sub-county, Gulu District, respectively.

The suspect, working at Kitgum Central Police Station, allegedly raped and impregnated a 14-year-old househelp and facilitated an abortion that resulted in a ruptured uterus.

“I was hired as a maid at a monthly pay of Shs40,000. My work was to take care of children and do some domestic chores,” the victim told Daily Monitor in a recent interview.
Three months into the job, the police officer reportedly defiled her and threatened to kill her if she dared tell anyone.

“My plans were to keep the money I was working for so that I could go back to school since I had dropped out in Primary Five since my parents could not afford the school fees and scholastic materials,” she said.
The police constable working at Palaro Police Post is accused of taking advantage of a stranded girl and defiling her. The incident took place in January.

According to police, the minor had dropped out of school from Palabek Kal Sub-county in Lamwo District last year and travelled to Palaro Sub-county to live with her relatives.
It is reported that on her way, the girl failed to trace her relatives and was taken to Palaro Police Post by Good Samaritans.

However, she was reportedly raped and impregnated by a police officer who offered to take care of her. The other officer, who was working at Nwoya Central Police Station, is accused of attempting to rape a mentally ill woman. According to police, the woman was found in the wilderness and taken to the police station where the officer attempted to rape her.

Aswa regional police spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema said the accused officers will be held accountable for the crimes as individuals.
“We are happy that the law has taken its course on the implicated police officers and we hope justice will prevail anytime,” he said.

The implicated police officers are already on remand, awaiting trial and conviction.
Sr Rose Anzoyo, the in-charge of gynaecologists at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, told Daily Monitor recently that many young girls in the area have fallen victim to gender-based sexual violence.

Rising cases
Concern. Police records indicate that since January, 267 cases of defilement have been registered in the eight districts that make up Aswa region. In February, there were 98 cases and in March, 95 cases were reported. For rape, 103 cases have been reported in the region since January.

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