Swedish national, Ugandan woman fight over child custody
What you need to know:
- Mr Angualia Daniel, the lawyer of Mr Pettersson, told this publication that investigations pertaining to how the child entered the country are still ongoing.
- According to records from the Uganda High Commission Pretoria seen by this publication, the child does not appear in any travel or arrival records in Uganda for this year.
A Swedish national and his former Ugandan girlfriend are embroiled in a custody battle for their six-year-old daughter whom the mother allegedly brought to Uganda without the father’s consent.
Mr Per-Anders Pettersson claims that Ms Asha Mohammed Kigozi brought their child from South Africa to Uganda behind his back and fi led for the minor’s custody. She then left the child in the care of her grandmother and flew to the UK.
Consequently, interim custody was granted to the grandmother in absence of both parents. While appearing at court in Kampala yesterday for a custody hearing, Mr Pettersson says it is unclear how his child entered Uganda without her legal documents.
“She [Ms Kigozi] came to visit our daughter and I allowed her to take the child only to receive a message a few days later that she had left the country and brought our daughter to Uganda,” he said.
Concern
“This was alarming because not only did she not have my permission to do so but also I’m in possession of all the travel documents for our daughter. So how did she bring our daughter to Uganda yet I have the passport?” he wondered.
Ag Senior Magistrate Igga Adiru, who presided over the custody hearing, granted Mr Pettersson permission to have a supervised visit of his daughter as the matter awaits disposal.
“The respondent/counter applicant is given an order to access the child in issue from a public place in the presence of the person in custody of this child. Lawyers for these parties, if they wish to be around the police officers responsible for children affairs and at least a member of the area local council authorities,” the order read in part.
Mr Angualia Daniel, the lawyer of Mr Pettersson, told this publication that investigations pertaining to how the child entered the country are still ongoing.
He said: “My client has reached out to different authorities, including the immigration authorities in South Africa and Uganda, the police and also RwandAir to establish how the child entered the country.”
According to records from the Uganda High Commission Pretoria seen by this publication, the child does not appear in any travel or arrival records in Uganda for this year.
Mr Pettersson through his lawyers has also filed a counter application, seeking full custody of the child. The matter was adjourned to August 16.
[email protected]
