Rédaction Africa Links 24 with David Awori
Published on 2024-01-29 11:22:26
In Busia, a district on the eastern border of Uganda, the police have apprehended a Catholic priest under the suspicion of defiling a 17-year-old girl who had recently completed her primary education.
The arrest took place at the Dabani Parish headquarters, where the priest is stationed, and was followed by a brief detention at Dabani Police Station before being transferred to Busia Central Police Station.
During the investigation carried out by detectives at Dabani Police Station, tests were conducted on the girl and the priest, indicating that the girl had been defiled and the priest had engaged in sexual intercourse.
The police source disclosed that the suspect’s HIV status was being analyzed, despite the girl’s pregnancy test returning negative results. When the suspect was transferred to Busia Central Police Station, a detective described him as being “alcoholic and shivering.”
The Busia District Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) Officer, Mr. Tibbs Asiimwe, confirmed the defilement allegations against the priest and revealed that he had been released on medical grounds due to his deteriorating health while in custody.
Despite the Catholic Church’s doctrine stipulating that priests are to practice celibacy and refrain from sexual activities, the family of the victim claimed that the priest was arrested after bringing the girl back home following her disappearance for four days. Allegedly, the victim had recently completed her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) at a school within the district.
According to a source, the priest was inebriated when he returned with the victim, and upon being questioned by the girl’s parents, he became confrontational before riding away. The family lodged a complaint at Dabani Police Station suspecting that the priest had kept the girl at his residence, which ultimately led to his arrest.
The priest’s release on medical grounds sparked concern among the locals, as they feared he would evade justice, so it was decided to release him on bond so that he could access treatment and return to face charges in court the following week.
