Angela Batuli
The Kyerwa District Court in Kagera Region has sentenced two individuals to life imprisonment after being found guilty of child rape in separate incidents.
Speaking to journalists at his office today, the government lawyer Dickson Makoro said the harsh sentences were handed down after the suspects were proven guilty, as the court was convinced by the evidence presented by the prosecution without any doubt.
Makoro identified the first suspect as Festo Mbeu, a former teacher aged 42 from Kaitambuzi village. He was convicted of raping an eight-year-old girl.
“The incident occurred on July 22, 2024, when Festo instructed the girl to stay after school, took her to a classroom, and forced her to lie down on a mat where he raped her. The girl refused initially, but the suspect coerced her into removing her underwear and committed the act. He also threatened her not to tell anyone,” Makoro explained.
He added that after the girl returned home, she told her mother about what had happened. The mother examined her and found evidence of semen in her private area.
“After the mother noticed this, she reported the matter to the local chairperson and then to the police. The prosecution had five witnesses, including the victim herself. Based on the law sections 131(3) and 130(1)(2)(e), which the accused violated, he was sentenced to life imprisonment,” Makoro said.
In the second incident, the lawyer identified the accused as Vincent Warundu, 24 years old, from Muhulile village in Kyerwa District. He was also sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of child rape.
He explained that in August last year, Vincent visited the victim’s home around 2 a.m., as he often did because they were neighbors. He found the nine-year-old girl outside, apparently while she was urinating behind the house, as her mother had gone to the shop.
“The victim had gone behind the house to urinate, and the suspect pretended to leave, then followed her, covering her mouth and took her to the banana plantation where he raped her, threatening her not to tell anyone,” Makoro explained.
The mother was informed of what happened, and she reported the matter to Nkwenda Police Station, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
The two cases were heard before Senior Resident Magistrate Alen Ifunya of Kyerwa District Court, who found both suspects guilty under the relevant laws, specifically sections 131(3) and 130(1)(2)(e), and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The sentences were announced at the end of the week.