Lwengo police investigate defilement, gang rape cases

Police in Lwengo District have launched investigations into circumstances under which two girls were defiled and gang-raped.

The victims whose names are withheld were defiled on different occasions by a group of youths at Kabulasoke village in Kkingo Sub County.

According to the first victim aged 15 and a resident of Ssembabule District, she came with her father to attend a wedding party of one of their relatives in Nkalwe-Lwengo on December 4. After the party at around 1am, she decided to go home not knowing that she was followed by a certain group of young men.

"As I was reaching in a maize plantation, I noticed that there were some people following me, I decided to increase on speed but immediately, I felt some chemicals being spread into my eyes," she recalls.

The victim says, after her eyes were sprayed and could no longer see anything, she felt another person tying her neck with a rope to stop her from shouting.

"I lost consciousness after my eyes were spread and my neck tied, but unfortunately I could not notice how many men defiled me but I can confirm they were more than one," she said, adding that she regained consciousness at around 5am and managed to walk to the house where they had slept the day before the wedding.

She was then rushed to Nkoni Health Centre IV for medical attention. Mr Sulait Lubega, the father of the victim said: “We only came to visit but the way youth behave in this village needs to be investigated. While at the wedding, we saw a number of boys holding ropes not knowing that they were using them in these deadly missions.”

Another victim also aged 15 and a resident of Kabulasoke A village narrates that her grandmother sent her away from home after she delayed where she had gone, before being defiled and raped on November 30 and December 1.

"After delivering the holiday package to the school, I went to Father Bill's church for evening prayers, and I went back home at around 7pm and upon reaching there, my grandmother chased me away saying I should go back where I have been.”

She says she decided to go to Kabulasoke trading centre to look for where to spend a night, where she met one man who offered to take her to his house and upon reaching there, he forced himself on her.

“After, he told me he could not let me sleep at his house, but promised that he had a friend who could help me sleep at his house. He took me there and that man also slept on me before sending me away also. I then decided to go back to the trading centre to forge a way where to sleep. While seated somewhere, another man approached me saying he had a sister who could employ me as her housemaid and told me to go with him to his house where he defiled and later sent me away,  and I met the fourth man who did the same to me before sending me to my grandmother,” she narrates.

This girl was defiled by four men in two days. She however says, her life is in danger after two of the suspects were arrested and later released. She says she is currently on medication after one of the suspects were examined and found HIV Positive. 

Ms Sofia Nakate working with FIDA in Lwengo and currently taking care of the two girls, says authorities have not been compliant because the suspects were released and the efforts they had put in have gone to waste.

She says she has received seven cases within a period of two months.

Mr Aloysius Kibira, the Kkingo Sub County chairperson says, many young girls and women have been robbed of their freedom to move whenever they want because of the youth who have become a problem in the area.

"These bad-mannered boys have defiled and raped many innocent people in Kkingo Sub Parish. A few days ago they defiled a four-year-old girl and we suspect that the same group did this," he said.

He noted that many married women were raped and they fear to speak out not to lose their marriages.

The Lwengo District Resident Commissioner, Mr Herman Ssentongo, says the law is going to take its course, warning local leaders who connive with the lawbreakers that he is going to work upon them.

The Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Muhammad Nsubuga, confirmed the incidents saying police did their work and arrested the suspects and were arraigned in court where they were given bail.

"We arrested three of the suspects and they appeared before the grade one magistrate in Masaka where they were released on bail. People need to know that police does its work well and by the time the suspects are taken to court, they are no longer in our hands,” he noted.

He noted that they have registered about 15 defilement cases in only two months, cautioning parents to take good care of their children to avoid such acts.