By Newsroom reporter
Police in Nakasongola have started investigating circumstances under which a shamba boy allegedly defiled eight pupils at a primary school.
Peter Mayanja was arrested after being accused of defiling eight pupils aged between 7 and 13 years of age at Ekitangala Primary School in Kakooge Sub-county, Nakasongola District.
Savannah Region Police Spokesperson, ASP Sam Twineamaizima said the gruesome acts took place between 2023 and July 2024.
The matter came to light on July 24, 2024, during a school meeting where the victims disclosed the ordeal they had endured and upon hearing this, swift action was taken by the school administration, who immediately reported the incident to Kakooge Police Station.
Mayanja was subsequently arrested and detained at Nakasongola Central Police Station, opening a case of aggravated defilement as investigations commence and medical examinations were also carried out on all the victims.
Defilement is considered aggravated if the girl is under 14 years old, the offender has HIV/AIDS, the offender is the victim’s parent or guardian, the girl has a disability, or the offender is a serial offender, and it carries a maximum penalty of death.
The 2023 Annual Police Crime Report indicated that 12, 771 cases of defilement were reported to the police in 2023, representing a 1.5% increase from the previous year. 300 of the victims were infected with HIV.
