Man hacks wife, 19, for undergoing family planning without his consent
Combo: Yvonne Washika (L) admitted to hospital after she was allegedly hacked by her husband, Fred Oundo (R). PHOTOS/ DAVID AWORI
What you need to know:
- Bukedi South Region Police Spokesperson, Moses Mugwe, said Oundo has been arrested and is under their custody.
- The couple has had issues because the husband has insisted on wanting more children yet he does not have a stable source of income to enable him to provide basic utilities at home
A 19-year-old woman is admitted to a hospital in Busia District in eastern Uganda after she was allegedly attacked and severely hacked by her 24-year-old husband who accused her of undergoing birth control without his knowledge.
Yvonne Washika, who reportedly suffered multiple injuries to her hands, legs and back, reportedly at the hands of her husband, Fred Oundo, is admitted at St Peter’s Clinic, a private health facility in Lumino Town, Busia District.
Bukedi South Region Police Spokesperson, Moses Mugwe, said Oundo has been arrested and is under their custody.
“The husband is being held at Busia Police Station and is to be arraigned in court on charges of unlawful wounding as soon as investigations are completed,” Mugwe said on Thursday.
Washika said since she joined family planning, the couple has had issues because the husband has insisted on wanting more children yet he does not have a stable source of income to enable him to provide basic utilities at home.
Oundo is said to have been working on a farm belonging to a resident of Bwerero village.
The victim said as a family, they had challenges looking after their daughter, fearing that adding more children would strain the already struggling couple.
“That is why I insisted on family planning which my husband was opposed to,” she said, adding that the other point of contention was the issue of custody of their two-year-old daughter, whom the husband had taken to his sister’s home without her involvement.
She said shortly after she arrived home, Oundo started asking why she was using family planning yet “they are a young couple who need to have more children.”
Washika says as Oundo demanded another child, she also demanded that her daughter be returned which sparked a quarrel.
The further victim narrated that as she packed her bags to leave their house, she was reportedly trailed by her husband who had a “sharp object” concealed under his jacket.
She said: “As I stopped a boda boda rider to take me to my father’s home, my husband pulled out a machete and cut me several times on the legs, back and the hands as I shielded him from cutting my head and neck.”
Amidst the attack, residents and local leaders called in the police.
The in-charge of the health facility where the victim is admitted, Peter Barasa, said she had suffered multiple injuries on her legs, hands and back, but they had been able to stop the bleeding, stitched her and hope she recovers.
The victim’s father, Daniel Obogita, said his daughter had returned home after complaining of a misunderstanding with the husband, who had said the matter was sorted and wanted his wife back at their home.
Obogita said he was “surprised” to receive news that his daughter had been attacked and badly injured by his son-in-law.
Lumino Town Council LC3 chairman, Clement Oguttu, described the incident as “bad”, and criticised Oundo for trying to stop his wife from undergoing family planning.
Bukedi region Coordinator for the National Coalition for Human Rights Defenders of Uganda, Dennis Wangira, described the attack on Washika as “sad” and “total violation of the rights of a woman”, and wants the law to take its course.
