We continue to register incidents of Child Homicides across the country, under circumstances of child torture. In all the incidents, the young children are taken through acts of severe pain and suffering, causing death. The first incident occurred in Serere district, where a 3-year-old, female juvenile, called Akello Mary, was tortured to death, by Emidu James, a 21-year-old, male adult, and resident of Oomokor village, Kamodi parish, Bugonda sub-county in Serere district. The victim was left behind by the grandmother, Akello Joyce Mary, to attend a meeting organized by their savings group at Atirir trading centre. Upon her return, she found when the victim had collapsed dead, with bruises all over the body. The manfriend upon realizing that the 3-year-old, had collapsed and died, escaped from the village. The police traced and arrested him on the 3.04.2022.
In Kayunga district, 3 suspects are in custody for the aggravated torture and murder of a 4-year-old female juvenile, identified as Kadaga Ajila, a granddaughter to Naleba Zaidi of Kiwangala village, Busaana sub-county in Kayunga. The three suspects include; Naleba Saidi, Sabano Annet and Doreen Hasakya. They were repeatedly involved in the harassment, torture and intimidation of the victim; whose body was found with several burns and bruises on the legs and arms.
In Oyam district, a 23-year-old mother of two identified as Nam Rebecca took poison due to repeated acts of mistreatment and insults from her grandmother. On the 29.03.2022, her grandmother rebuked her for buying less food. The victim got angered due to the emotional torture and administered poison to her two children aged 3 and another of two months. Both children Apio Barbara, a 3-year-old and Among a 2-month-old, succumbed to the poison at Atapara hospital. Their mother is still in critical condition.
Children continue to be vulnerable in our society, due to poor oversight, neglect, anger and frustration. We call upon local leaders and child rights defenders to concert efforts, in close coordination to monitor all spaces and circumstances under which children are living.
The police remains committed to pursuing every incident of aggravated torture and murder of children, and will ensure perpetrators of child torture and murder are brought to justice.
CP Enanga Fred
Police Spokesperson
4th April 2022
