Amid child sexual abuse accusations, Glaser had Kalangala at heart

Bernhard Glaser Bery, 72, who breathed his last on Thursday morning at Murchison Bay Hospital in Kampala, was a German health professional who arrived in Kalangala Islands in 2003 as a tourist and a social worker internee.

He did his internship with Bufumira Islands Development Association (BIDA) in Bufumira Sub County and later became a volunteer with this community based Non-Governmental Organisation working together with other volunteers in offering psychological support, as well as education to vulnerable children in the fishing communities.

In 2005, both Bery and a wife, Ingrid Dilen Glaser started a children'S home at Mwena landing site in Kalangala Town Council that worked as a rehabilitation centre for young girls who were victims of rape, defilement and child neglect.

Two years later, the home got registered as a community based organisation in the names of Ssese Humanitarian Services–Bery’s Place (SHS) after being endorsed by Kalangala District local government.

The organisation started getting support from local leaders and Mr Willy Lugoloobi became the chairperson of the organisation. Mr Lugoloobi is currently the LC5 chairperson Kalangala District.

READ:Sexual abuse tale stokes controversy in Kalangala

Mr Augustine Kasirye, the chief executive officer BIDA, offered Bery a huge chunk of land at Mwena Landing site to establish a home which was enough to accommodate the growing number of beneficiaries at the time.

Residents then started realising that Bery was trying to address the real problems emanating from the cruel behaviours of many fishermen who were much devoted to mobile fishing, thus neglecting responsibilities towards their children.

Such behaviours by a section of fishermen increased the number of school dropouts, especially among girls and this exposed them to sexually hungry men.

As part of their core activities, Bery’s Place was always at a centre of supporting such sexually abused and violated victims with legal aid, education and rehabilitation.

Some girls were later discharged and reunited with their families after successful completion of the rehab period, but they were continuously followed up by the organisation staff.

Getting into trouble

However, the organisation started getting problems in 2010 when some concerned citizens initiated a move to drag Bery to court over issues related to sexual harassment.

They accused Bery of enforcing family planning to young souls by applying dangerous family planning products as well as practicing sex tourism and child trafficking, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial. He faced eight charges of aggravated defilement and 19 counts of aggravated child trafficking.

He was first arrested in November 2013 and charged after two children under his care accused him of sexual abuse. The minors aged between 12 and 14, said that Glaser had repeatedly defiled them since 2007. He stayed in detention for more than two months.

During the operation in which he was arrested, police recovered a dildo and lubricants that he allegedly applied to the victims before defiling them. The detectives found that all girls at the facility had implants, one of the options used by women in family planning. Subsequently, 21 suspected victims were relocated to Kampala for safe custody, but 19 of the children returned to Kalangala days later.

In 2015, Justice John Eudes Keitirima dismissed all cases against him due to lack of evidence. The cases was reinstated in February 2019 after police detectives raided Bery’s home in Kalangala where they arrested his wife Ingrid Dilen and rescued at least 11 children. The detectives did not find Bery at his home at the time, but he was arrested later when he presented himself at police.

By the time of his death, Bery was still battling the same cases. He was first tried at Masaka High Court before the case was transferred to Kampala. He had applied for bail to seek treatment abroad for stage four cancer of the skin (Melanoma) and diabetes.

READ:Suspected German paedophile Bernhard Glaser dies in prison

On Wednesday last week, Kampala High Court Judge Moses Kazibwe hgranted the deceased a cash bail of Shs30m to enable him travel to Belgium for treatment. However, he was sent back to prison after failing to raise the money. When this information reached Kalangala Islands on Wednesday evening, well-wishers through a WhatsApp group Kalangala Agaakagwawo, started mobilising money to secure his release and by Thursday morning Shs12.4m had been raised.

According to Mr Quaraish Kwesigabo, the deceased’s aide, Bery has been receiving treatment for skin cancer every year from abroad. “Unfortunately all efforts for him to get routine treatment failed after two unsuccessful bail applications,” he said.

What leaders say

Mr Lugoloobi, one of the people who closely worked with Bery eulogised him as a man who had Kalangala at heart.

“I worked with Bery for three years when I was still a district welfare and probation officer, he was a dedicated person who loved to see positive change in our community. He did his best to develop Kalangala, but some bad people never appreciated his contribution and paid him by throwing him to jail,” he said.

Mr Lugoloobi also revealed that the organisation has over the years been sharing progress reports with the district and they knew what was happening at Bery’s place.

“As a district, we tried to save Bery during his trial because we knew the tremendous work he was doing   in the area,” he adds.

Mr Willy Nkumbi, the Kalangala senior probation officer, said Bery’s death was a big blow to island.

“It is unfortunate that he died in prison before end of his trial, but the world will one time know that he was an innocent man,” he said.

He said Bery had plans of establishing a big pharmacy on Buggala Island to support his project activities, set up a skills development centre on a 10 acre-piece of land he acquired at Sozzi Village Kalangala Town Council.

By Sunday morning, Bery’s body was still at Mulago National Referral Hospital mortuary. 

Mr Kwesigabo said he had indicated in his will that when he dies, he want his body cremated and the ash taken to his family.

“The postmortem has already been carried out and Bery’s body will soon be taken for cremation,” he said.

He said a vigil will be organised early this week at Bery's place to pay him tribute.

Bery’s biography

Bery was born on May 22, 1948 in Leipzig, Germany.

He later settled in Beerse in Belgium where he has a home.

Having served for so long as a Physiotherapist, he retired at 64.

He embarked on doing consultancy work.

In 2005, he moved to Uganda particularly Kalangala as a tourist.

He was a father of one daughter Heather Krantz, currently living in USA.

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