MUKONO – The Mukono Chief Magistrate, Racheal Nakyazze on Wednesday remanded a 21- year-old man to Kauga prison for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl.
Aaron Wasswa, a student of Community Development at Kyambogo University was arrested last month for defiling the victim, who is a pupil at Ssekiboobo Primary School.
It is alleged that while at his parent’s home in Kimwanyi Cell, Mukono Central Division, the suspect convinced the victim to enter his house where he defiled her for two days.
On Wednesday Wasswa was produced before the court for the hearing of the matter, however, prosecution led by Josephine Nanyonjo asked court to further remand the suspect until they amend the charge sheet with respect to the age of the victim.
The prosecution told the court that they received a complaint from the parents of the victim accusing the police investigating officer, Deborah Namudaka, of altering the age of the victim from 13 to 14.
“There is a need to amend the charge sheet with respect to the age of the victim; this would have been done before but the mother of the victim was arrested and remanded by police for presenting contrary documents to them protesting the age recorded on the charge sheet. She has been released today and needs time to present evidence to this matter.” URN quotes Nanyonjo as notifying Court.
Wasswa’s lawyer, Hussein Kato asked court to grant his client bail – saying prosecution had failed to put together evidence implicating his client.
“We have no issues with whatever the prosecution has stated, but they asked the court for the same after we asked the court to grant our client bail. He has so far missed two examination papers which he needs to retake besides writing the remaining three papers,” argued the lawyer.
Wasswa was later remanded to Kauga prison until December 7.
“I will not entertain the bail application today, unless there are no amendments done on the charge sheet before December 7, court will start hearing of the bail application,” ruled Nakyazze.
The victim’s father – William Mugerwa accused the police in Mukono of allegedly grabbing his daughter’s original birth certificate – He presented proof from the National Identification and Registration Authority – NIRA indicating that her daughter was born on February 28, 2009 – meaning she is 13.
Additional report by URN