By Karim Were
KAMPALA — The Uganda Police Force has attributed the continued rise in aggravated defilement cases involving children in Kampala to delayed reporting, compromised investigations, and the growing practice of settling sexual offences outside the justice system.
Police and child protection agencies say these practices have weakened efforts to prosecute offenders, allowing many perpetrators to evade justice while exposing more children to abuse.
The renewed warning follows investigations into three separate aggravated defilement cases reported in Kampala suburbs over the past two weeks.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala described the trend as alarming, saying all the suspects arrested in the recent cases will be arraigned in court once the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) completes reviewing the case files.
Among the cases under investigation is one at Kira Road Police Station involving Lewis Madibo, 32, a resident of Bukoto in Nakawa Division, who is accused of defiling a six-year-old girl while her mother was asleep. Police say the suspect had visited the child’s mother before the alleged incident and remains in custody pending prosecution.
In another case recorded in Ssebagala Zone on July 28, police arrested Yusuf Kadomolo and Daniel Magala over allegations of defiling and impregnating a 13-year-old girl. The victim’s parents reportedly discovered the pregnancy after the teenager fell ill. She later disclosed that she had been sexually abused by three men. While two suspects are in custody, police are still searching for the third suspect.
Wandegeya Police are also investigating a separate case involving 52-year-old Jackson Mugisha, who is accused of defiling a three-year-old child in Mulago Bataka-Bukilwa Zone on July 25. The child’s mother told police she had left the toddler playing outside with other children while she went to the market.
Community leaders say children remain most vulnerable when sent on errands at night or left under the care of other people.
John Mukwaya, a resident of Mulago Bataka-Bukilwa Zone, condemned the increasing practice of resolving defilement cases through financial compensation instead of prosecution.
He alleged that some families negotiate settlements with suspects after arrests, while corrupt individuals facilitate such arrangements for personal gain.
Mukwaya called for tougher enforcement of the law and harsher penalties for offenders, arguing that allowing perpetrators to escape punishment puts more children at risk.
Police have urged parents and guardians to closely monitor children, report suspected abuse immediately, preserve evidence, and cooperate with investigators to ensure offenders are successfully prosecuted.
Authorities maintain that ending out-of-court settlements and encouraging timely reporting are critical steps in protecting children and reducing aggravated defilement cases across Kampala.
