Man Convicted For Defiling 7-Year-Old HIV Positive Girl

Kampala High Court has convicted a 20-year-old man for defiling a seven- year- old girl who is HIV positive.

Justice Wilson Kwesiga, while convicting Mike Katongole, 20, on Tuesday said that prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt all the three ingredients which included the victim being aged below 14 years, participation of the convict, and the sexual act.

“The best evidence is that of the victim because these crimes are usually committed in secrecy. In this case, the girl was consistent and firm even when being cross-examined by the defense lawyer,” the judge ruled.

According to court records, Katongole on March 26 2017 at Nansana East 11 zone, Nansana municipality in Wakiso district, performed a sexual act with a minor.

The evidence showed that at around 7:00 pm, the accused called the victim inside the fenced house where he stays and gave her Shs300 to buy him two sticks of cigarettes, which the victim did.

Prosecution evidence further shows that Katongole told the victim to enter his room which he closed, forced her on to his bed, defiled her, and pushed her out as she cried.

During the hearing of the case, the victim told court that she knew Katongole who was their neighbour, as a rubbish collector in the area.

She identified him as the man who defiled her.

Throughout the hearing, Katongole denied defiling the victim although prosecution proved that he was immediately put on Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), a drug that prevented him from getting HIV.

Court records indicate that the victim was born with HIV and is being treated at Nurture Africa Organization in Nansana.

The case was adjourned to Wednesday for both sentencing and mitigation of both prosecution and the defence lawyer.

In the same court, a crime preventer Bogere Ssenoga pleaded not guilty to murdering a suspected light bulb thief Lazaro Ssekimpi, in February 2017.

Prosecution states that the offense was committed at Yesu Amala Zone,  Nansana town Council in Wakiso District.

According to the evidence, Bogere was called to arrest Ssekimpi and take him to a police station on suspicion of stealing the bulb from Irene Namwanje’s bar

However, Bogere instead assaulted Ssekimpi who later succumbed to wounds sustained from the unlawful beating.

He has been further remanded to Luzira Prisons until October 22 for hearing of his case.