Police in Wakiso district is looking for a teenage boy accused of flogging his four year old sister to death and fleeing.

The suspect is Sserugga Samson, 15, a pupil of Mabombwe Church of Uganda, Nursery and Primary School, and local from Mabombwe Kirudu village, Mende sub county in Wakiso district. 

Sseruga reportedly inflicted multiple injuries on his young sister Namubiru Desire,4, at their home that cost her life. Namubiru was beaten on the forehead, the face, arms, stomach, back and legs before she succumbed to her injuries in Hospital.

Locals allege that the mother to the deceased Namubiru Daisy was aware of what happened but chose to keep the information within the family. They claim Sseruga had developed a habit of mercilessly flogging the minor in the absence of Namubiru but she never penalized him for it.

They further allege that Namubiru still kept the matter quiet and asked Sseruga to stay silent even when the minor was in a critical state.

Fred Enanga, the Uganda Police Spokesperson has faulted the mother to the deceased, Namubiru for conniving with her ruthless teenage son to conceal the incident until when it was brought to the attention of the police. 

“Young children are particularly vulnerable and told to keep family matters private.  They are often threatened not to report it to anyone for fear of breaking family bonds or threats of punishment. In addition, other families regard violence between siblings as rivalry, and simply advise the victims to either toughen up or fight back.” Enanga says

Enanga says concealing acts of sibling abuse is dangerous because it usually escalates into heavier crime over a period of time.

“Sibling abuse can include sexual, physical and emotional abuses of touching, fondling, indecent exposure, rape, sexual assaults, sodomy, slapping, hitting, kicking, biting, causing injury with a weapon or other emotional abuse like damaging clothes, books, toys and other properties of a sibling.” He adds 

He has asked parents, guardians, teachers to be cautious noting that sibling child abuse can lead to depression, drugs, alcohol, sexual risk behaviours, low self-esteem, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress and the increased risk of continuing the cycle of violence into their teenage and adult lives. 

compiled by Minah Nalule