The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has sentenced Teacher Junior Tukwasibwe Junior to 46 years in prison for defiling three learners.
Tukwasibwe was on Friday sentenced by the ICD Judge Richard Wejuli Wabwire, just a week after finding him guilty on six counts including; aggravated trafficking in children, aggravated Defilement, rape, and operating an unapproved children’s home.
The Judge said Tukwasibwe used his position and deception to sexually exploit vulnerable girls between 14 and 16 years.
“The offenses were not isolated but formed part of a pattern of systematic exploitation,” Justice Wabwire said.
“The Convict used deception, threats of death, expulsion, and other forms of coercion to perpetrate and conceal his conduct.”
“This breach of trust and calculated abuse of authority heightened the moral culpability of the Convict,” said Justice Wabwire.
Accordingly, Justice Wabwire has ordered that Tukwasibwe be imprisoned for 46 years of Defilement, 30 years for aggravated trafficking, and another 46 years for rape.
The Judge has however ordered that the sentences are to run concurrently and a period of 6 years Tukwasibwe has spent on remand be deducted.
Justice Wabwire had further imposed a court fine of 5 currency points (100,000 shillings) to Tukwasibwe for operating an unapproved Children’s home in Kabale on top of paying a 5 million shillings compensation award to each of the three girls he exploited, thereby making it a combined total fine of 15 million shillings.
The said award is to cater for the psychological abuse, infliction of pain, and loss of dignity by administering non-consensual family planning injections and pills.
Justice Wejuli explained that Tukwasibwe has a right of Appeal within 14 days from today should he be dissatisfied with the sentence handed to him.
He handed the sentence following overwhelming evidence levied against him by Prosecution led by Chief State Attorney Joseph Kyomuhendo.
Kyomuhendo adduced evidence to the effect that Tukwasibwe committed the crimes under his unlicensed Community Based Organization called Educate a child Street Children Uganda based in Kabale.
The Organization operated between 2013 and 2018 as a Children’s Home before he was arrested.
Chief State Attorney Kyomuhendo informed the Court further that Tukwasibwe, a social worker and teacher, used the promise of educational sponsorship and shelter to attract vulnerable children into his care.
Rather than providing a safe and supportive environment, Kyomuhendo told the court that Tukwasibwe operated an unregistered children’s home, which also served as his personal residence, an arrangement that facilitated abuse.
The prosecution further indicated that Tukwasibwe committed multiple acts of sexual abuse, including rape and aggravated defilement.
These incidents reportedly took place at his residence, in hotels across Kabale, Kisoro, and Ntungamo Districts, and at times, he would reportedly sexually abuse some of his victims in his vehicle.
Kyomuhendo further indicated that the said Tukwasibwe used family planning pills/injections on some of his victims and threatened that they would lose sponsorship if they don’t give in.
The records before the Court indicate that the most severe incident occurred in August 2018, when one of the victims was 19 years old.
Court also heard that Tukwasibwe arrived at her home early in the morning at 6:00 AM, while the mother’s victim mother was away, he convinced her to accompany him under the pretense of shopping for his organization.
“Instead, he drove her to Kirigime Guest House in Rushambiya cell, Kabale district, taking a detour from the main road,” reads the evidence.
“At the guest house, he led her into a room, which was locked from the outside by an unknown person inside.”
That Tukwasibwe removed his trousers and attempted to force himself on her.
When the victim resisted and threatened to scream, he covered her mouth, used force to undress her, and proceeded to rape her.
“She explicitly stated she did not consent and felt pain during the act,” reads the documents.
“Afterward, he threatened to expel her from the organization and have her killed if she disclosed the incident.”
“He then gave her UGX 30,000 and dropped her off at a location where her cultural group was training,” reads the documents.
According to Justice Wejuli Wabwire, these actions, repeated demands for sex in exchange for assistance, reduction of support as punishment for refusal, and the forceful sexual assault in 2018, constitute lascivious conduct alleged by one of the victims against Tukwasibwe Junior, as described in her testimony.
The sentence by Justice Wabwire comes just barely four days when Kabojja Junior School Teacher Godfrey Muwumuza was sentenced to prison to serve 4 years and six months in jail for in descent asault and attempted homosexuality on his pupil while on a school trip.
Muwumuza was jailed by Buganda Road Court’s Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi following his own plea of guilty and plea bargain with the State.
Credit URN
