How Busia man accused of defiling granddaughter was tracked

The alleged incestuous relationship between a 66-year-old man and his 15-year-old granddaughter would have been kept under wraps if he hadn’t blown his cover, leading to his arrest on Friday.

Peter Egesa, a fish trader and resident of Buhonge Village, Buyanga sub-county in Busia District, was taken into police custody before being arraigned in court and charged with aggravated defilement and aggravated human trafficking.

Bukedi South Region police spokesperson Moses Mugwe, says while at Wakawaka Landing Site, Bulidha Sub-county in Bugiri District, the suspect started calling his older wife Rose Egesa, whom he had abandoned in Buhonge Village.

“He kept calling his wife telling her to vacate his house and land, saying he wanted to sell the land to have money to support himself and his granddaughter, his newly-found wife,” Mugwe told Monitor at the weekend.

Out of frustration, Ms Egesa rushed to Buyanga Police Post and reported a case of defilement and domestic violence against the male suspect, prompting police to track, arrest him- and rescue the victim who was found pregnant.

Suggestions show Ms Egesa could have learnt of the incestuous relationship between the suspect and his granddaughter from the victim’s mother Susan Misanya, who has been arrested on charges relating to procurement of defilement. She is detained at Busia Central Police Station.

“The mother to the victim was an accomplice to the defilement and act of child trafficking for not reporting the matter to police,” Mugwe noted, adding that they tracked the suspect to his rented room in Wakawaka Village.

Mugwe said whereas by law, the victim was a juvenile, her mother (Misanya) refused to file a defilement case against the suspect, but was instead visiting the two at their rented room in Wakawaka Village.

Mugwe added: “Against him, police prefer charges of defiling and marrying his own granddaughter who was a Primary Five pupil at one of the schools in Busia District in 2022.”

According to Mugwe, the victim was last year first sexually abused by one of her maternal uncles and conceived, but the pregnancy was in May terminated at one of the health facilities allegedly through the help of the suspect.

Police records indicate that two months later, the grandfather started having sexual intercourse with the minor- until February 2024 when she became pregnant.

Mugwe further explained that after he learnt that his granddaughter was carrying his pregnancy, he shifted from his home in Buhonge Village to Wakawaka Village and rented a room where the two stayed as husband and wife.

Busia-based lawyer James Okuku said: “If it is true that the suspect defiled his own granddaughter, his acts portrayed how much society has suffered moral decay.”

“That is an abomination and curse to society,” he added.

Meanwhile, Busia Town resident Adam Iwongo suggested that “in a proper cultural setting, the suspect would be banished from his home, clan and told to move elsewhere.”

On Friday, court presided by Busia Grade One Magistrate Susan Adero charged Egesa with aggravated defilement and aggravated human trafficking before he was remanded to Masafu Prison until May 20.

The suspect visibly remained calm in the dock despite being told he couldn’t take plea “because the charges preferred against him are of capital nature and only triable by the High Court.”

Under the Ugandan law, both counts can attract severe punishments if found guilty.