50-year-old convicted for defiling minor

Kampala

The High Court in Kampala yesterday found Edward Nsenga guilty of defiling a seven-year-old girl. The 50-year-old appeared before Justice Elizabeth Alvidza.

“It was the task of the prosecution to find out whether the victim was a child below the age of 18, sexual act was performed and that the convict participated in the act. I am convinced that indeed prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” Justice Alvidza said.

She said the evidence of the victim was credible because she was even consistent in whatever she said even during cross-examination from Nsenga’s lawyers. The victim was able to recognise him. “It was evident that the convict committed the crime when he tried to run away from the arresting officers even before they told him what had brought them to his house,” the judge said.

However, the judge agreed with the convict’s lawyer, Mr Steven Senkeezi, that police did not investigate the case properly. “It is true that investigations were not done properly but that does not remove the fact that he (Nsenga) committed the crime,” she added.

According to the court documents, the victim was sent by a neighbour, a one Ms Catherine Nezia to buy cooking oil for her at a nearby shop. On her way back, she met the convict (Nsenga) who told her that he was going to buy for her a banana and sweets.

The victim told court that Nsenga took her to a house where he defiled her even when she pleaded with him to let her first take home the cooking oil that she was sent for. “I saw blood coming out of my genitals and it was very painful. He left me by the roadside afterwards,” the victim told the court. The trial judge adjourned the case for sentence on February 11 because the victim was not in court.

SATURDAY MONITOR UGANDA: