13-year-old girl left paralysed after assault by step mother

A 13-year-old girl in Bukedea District has been left paralysed after allegedly being assaulted by her step mother.

 Scholostica Acam from Kokwech Village in Malera Sub-county has spent the past three months wailing in pain since the assault.

The suspect reportedly beat up Acam using a thick ladle that is traditionally used to mingle local bread known as atap in Teso.

 The beatings saw the Primary Five pupil unable to attend school, forcing her to miss a large part of first term, with her sick and widowed mother struggling to find her treatment.

 CT scans carried out from Mt Elgon Hospital and Kumi Hospital indicate that the beatings have left the girl with five broken ribs, a dislocated spinal cord and a blood clot on her back, partially impairing her ability to walk. Doctors estimate that the girl needs Shs12 million to conduct an operation to correct her deformities.

 Her 40-year-old mother Florence Asio, alias Amuge, says she cannot afford proper medical treatment for her daughter.

 “She now passes pus in her urine and stool, and yet I can no longer even afford painkillers,” Ms Asio told Daily Monitor.

 According to Mr James Oluka, a Human Rights activist working with Equal Rights Uganda, the girl’s family had earlier tried to hide the assault case by reporting that she had fallen off a mango tree.

But upon intervention by Mr Sam Oboi, the Local Council One chairperson a month later, her case was reported to police where the suspect was only detained for a few days and later released on unclear grounds. 

 Acam’s plight only came to light early this week after a community activist shared her pictures on social media. 

 Acam is the eldest child among seven children born to their widowed mother. Their uncle Okiring opted to bring them to Kokwech following a difficult life at their home after they lost their father some years ago.

However, trouble came for Acam in February this year when on her way back from school, she fought over a mango with her step-brother.

When the step-brother reported to her mother, this prompted the latter to allegedly pounce on Acam.

 According to Mr Sam Oboi, the chairperson of Kokwech Village, the family delayed reporting the matter to his office.

 The officer-in-charge of Malera Police Post, Mr John Kibule, said he recorded the case on March 20, 2023, under CRB: 13/17/March 2023.

 “I wrote summons to the suspect to come to the police but she didn’t turn up,” he said.

 When the suspect was later arrested by officers from Malera Police Post, she was immediately transferred to Bukedea Central Police Station. However, she was later controversially released after a few days after the intervention of her husband, Mr Simon Epeet, who reportedly sold sheep to secure her release. Mr Epeet, however, refused to reveal the identity of the officer he gave the money to.

  During a community dialogue convened to settle the matter at Kokwech Primary School on Tuesday, the Community Liaison Officer at Bukedea Central Police Station, Mr David Egou, confirmed seeing the suspect being detained but wondered why she was released. 

 Following the community meeting, the suspect was rearrested on Tuesday.

 Mr Santos Osekeny, the chairperson of Civil Society Organisations in Bukedea, has condemned the beating of the girl and demanded justice for the girl.