Entebbe Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a man to two years in jail for attempting defile a five year old child .
The Entebbe Chief Magistrate Juliet Nakitende jailed the suspect identified as Amon Muhangi, 24, after he pleaded guilty to the charge. Muhangi pounced on the minor in March 2022, after a drinking spree at a local bar in Kajjansi and attempted to perform sexual intercourse after undressing her before he fled.
Court heard that the accused lured his victim into nearby gardens at her father’s bar in Kajjansi town council where he attempted to have sexual intercourse with her. The victim was however saved by a female customer who sounded an alarm as the suspect attempted to defile the minor.
However, Muhangi managed to escape the scene but was arrested the following day from his hideout.
State Attorney Janet Kitimbo asked the court to hand Muhangi a harsh sentence because he was drunk when he tried to sexually molest the minor and his actions could serve as an example for several youth committing crimes under the influence of alcohol and other substances.
She stated that such conviction could protect children, especially the girl child from the cold hands of their perpetrators .
Muhangi’s lawyer asked for lenience, stating that his client is still young and a first-time offender who is remorseful, and may reform and become useful in society upon release.
Cases of rape and defilement have continued to rise in Uganda, according to the police crime report for 2021.
The report sows that defilement cases rose to at least 14,436 children up from 14,134 cases reported in 2020. The report also pointed out that 281 children were defiled by persons who are HIV positive.
