PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ACCUSED OF CONFINING, TORTURING 15 YEAR OLD GIRL

By our reporter

www.mknewslink.com

In Ibanda

A fifteen year old girl facing theft charges in the ibanda chief magistrate’s court of Ibanda is being confined in an illegal detention at the home of Emanuel Kafuniza the presidential advisor on western region affairs.

Kafuniza, a permanent historical member of the NRM National Executive Committee and also an advisor of Bishop of North West Ankole diocese, is the complainant in the theft case the fifteen year old girl is said to have allegedly committed.

He claimed that the girl gained access to his home and stole several household items including clothes; a pair of jungle gumboots and the young girl was arrested, arraigned in court then sent to a remand home after having confessed to have indeed stolen the said items.

In the court documents seen by our reporter, the girl (Jackline Amutuhaire) is supposed to be on remand for twenty six days.

She was sent on remand on 19^th September up to 15^th October 2019 when she is required to reappear in the same court to answer theft charges.  

But police failed to take her to a remand home situated in Fort portal about one hundred and twenty kilometers away due to logistical challenges and instead opted to hand her  over to the complainant who is considered to be a legal guardian.

Though the girl says she has not been physically tortured by the complaint, she is being confined in a room at his home situated Kayenje ward Ibanda Municipality and only comes out to do domestic work for him.

Her step mother Leocadia Kyomuhangi says that the girl is being tortured at Kafuniza’s home and that she was burnt with a flat iron which claims were refuted by the area district police commander Angomok Emily.

She challenged those coming up with such claims to report the matter to police for investigations.

She defended police’s action saying the children’s act mandates them to hand the children back to their parents or guardians for rehabilitation purposes.

Our reporter found the girl with a healing wound on her right hand which Kafuniza denied being responsible saying she sustained it as she ironed clothes while playing with one of the family members.  

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