The court in Kampala has sentenced to jail a 35-year-old house maid, Patience Tumuhairwe after she was found guilty of torturing her boss’s 4-year-old daughter.
Tumuhairwe committed the stressful act in Kikoko zone, Namataba – Kiirya, Bweyogerere division, Kira municipality, Wakiso district on December 27.
She was captured on a phone video which went viral on he internet prompting her arrest in Rukiga district where she had gone into hiding.
Appearing before the court on Friday, Tumuhairwe did not waste Court’s time and she pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecution side led by Cate Basuuta told court that the suspect inflicted injuries on the victim through physical torture including beating, biting and banging her head on the floor. They asked court to impose a maximum sentence on the suspect because the offence violates international human rights laws.
“Although the convict has no a known criminal records, the court should impose a grave punishment for torturing an innocent child because the offence is serious and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment,” said Basuuta.
The prosecutors accused Tumuhairwe of showing no remorse for her actions when she locked the minor inside the house, refused to open the door and take the victim to the hospital when neighbors came to her rescue.
However, the defence lawyers led by Hellen Namutumba pleaded for a lenient sentence claiming that her client pleased guilty to the offence and had previously while in prison apologized and begged for pardon from the child’s father.
The trial Chief Magistrate, Sharon Niwaha then reserved the ruling for 40 minutes and later convicted the convict to 40 years in prison.
While delivering her sentence, the Magistrate acknowledged the profound impact of the torture on the victim’s family, noting that parents often struggle to recover from the trauma inflicted upon their children due to the strong emotional bonds they share.
“Considering the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act, the victim would have been liable liable to life imprisonment. However, I hereby sentence the convict to 40 years in prison. The effects of torture on children like the victim in this case are long-term devasting, and will endure throughout their lives,” the Magistrate said.
