41-year-old step mother arrested over defiling child

Police in Kyotera District are holding a 41-year-old woman for allegedly defiling her nine-year-old step son whom she has lived with for the past four years.

The suspect, a resident of Mbuye- Kiteredde in Kasaali Town Council, Kyotera District, is said to have sexually harassed the boy for nearly four years yet she is HIV/AIDS positive.

The victim is a Primary One pupil at St Kizito, Mbuye Primary School in Kyotera District.

One of the victim’s relative, Ms Sarah Nabitosi, told Monitor that medical tests showed the boy was still HIV/AIDS negative as of September 21.

Ms Nabitosi also said they have on many occasions tried to pick the boy from her step mother against her will.

Kyotera District Health Officer, Dr Edward Muwanga, explained that there are possibilities where someone who is HIV positive can have sex with a negative person and the virus doesn’t spread to the other person especially when the HIV positive person is on Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).

“…but that is to a smaller extent,” he added.

Mr Hassan Hiwumbire, the Kyotera District Police Commander confirmed the arrest, saying the suspect likely to be charged with aggravated defilement will be subjected to a mental checkup before being taken to court.

“We have had several rumors which we shall listen to critically before we arraign her before court,” he told Monitor on Wednesday.

The Ugandan law defines defilement as the act of having sexual intercourse with a person under 18.

The offence attracts a maximum penalty of life imprisonment but about 140 boys aged were defiled in 2020, with the youngest victim being an eight-year-old boy, according to the 2020 Annual Police Crime Report.