Court remands Portuguese national on charges of aggravated trafficking

The International Crimes Division of the High Court on July 19 further remanded a Portuguese national to Luzira prison on charges of aggravated trafficking of a minor.

Carlos Alberto De Almedia E Costa is facing two charges of aggravated trafficking in children contrary to Section 5(a) and 3(1)(a) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2009.

He appeared before trial judge Richard Wejuli Wabwire for the mention of his case. However, prosecution, led by Mr Joseph Kyomuhendo, requested a hearing date, stating that Alberto was fit to stand trial after a medical report from Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital confirmed his mental state to be sound.

Prosecution alleges that between April and May 2020, at Busibante Zone, Kira Division, Wakiso District, Alberto received and harbored a minor, abusing his power or position of vulnerability, by offering or receiving payments to gain consent for sexually exploiting her.

According to court documents, Alberto arrived in Uganda in August 2019 and initially resided in Ntinda with his girlfriend.

Later, the couple separated, prompting Alberto to move to Najjera in April 2020, where he rented an apartment.

The documents further reveal that the accused met the victim's mother, who sold tea by the roadside with her two daughters. 

Alberto became a regular customer, and eventually, he requested to take the victim's little daughter to his residence to wash his clothes.

“Towards the end of April, he requested the victim’s mother to allow her little daughter to go with him to his place of residence and wash his clothes. Instead the mother requested that he brings the clothes and they wash from home and he picks them,” reads in part the court documents.

It is alleged that the accused and the victim developed a friendship, and they started living together in a two-bedroom house, with the victim's parents paying rent of Shs500, 000 per month. 

According to the court records, while the family slept, the accused would move from his bed to the victim's bed and engage in inappropriate behavior. The victim's sister noticed this and shifted to their parents' room, which allowed the accused to exploit the victim.

"The incident was reported to the victim's father, but he kept quiet. The victim moved her mattress from the accused's room, but her father forced her to take it back, and she was further exploited," read the court documents.

The accused later complained about the house and suggested they move to a spacious three-bedroom house, which they did, paying Shs1 million per month.

"In the new home, the victim and her sibling occupied one room, while the parents used the second room and the accused the third room. However, he later complained of discrimination, claiming he was not allowed to interact freely with the children," the documents further stated.

Alberto also applied for bail pending the hearing of his case, citing deteriorating health conditions, including suffering from prostate cancer and a retraction disorder in his left eye.

The trial judge scheduled July 24 for the hearing of the bail application.

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