The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Buikwe Lydia Kalemera has urged parents to restrain themselves from child abuse, which has escalated in recent months.
Lydia Kalemera, who is in charge of Njeru and Lugazi, blames child abuse on gender based domestic violence, which lead to separation and divorce among couples who fail to handle their family issues amicably.
“…like they say when two elephants fight it’s the grass that suffers, now in all cases of irreparable relationships between a man and his wife, it’s the children who bear the brunt…” she lamented.
She has asked the Local Council leaders to always collaborate with stakeholders like religious and cultural leaders plus the Child and Family Protection Unit (CFPU) under the Uganda Police Force (UPF) to intervene on child rights-related issues in their localities.
The concern followed the arrest of a peasant farmer identified as David Lukwago, 56 years of age on allegation of torturing his 12 year old biological son over unjustifiable reasons.
Reports say the wife, who is the mother of the boy, had left Lukwago after years of domestic violence meted against her.
Over the week, social media users like WhatsApp and Facebook were irritated after watching a male minor, tied to a tree wailing helplessly while being repeatedly beaten by the irate father.
According to the police, the socially pungent incident occurred on 9th August, 2024, when David Lukwago returned from Mbiko, where he was living with a concubine after leaving the poor son alone in the house.
The son (names withheld for ethical reasons) was forced to relocate to a nearby church in search of food and other basic necessities since the father had not left him with anything in the house.
It’s reported that for the whole of July, this boy was staying with an uncle identified only as Isima at Butembe Village.
After locating the son, the irate David Luwago used an old mosquito net to tie and drag the minor on the ground for several meters and tied him to a tree where he began to beat him without mercy.
As fate would have it, some unknown person was recording the torture which was posted on social media, and it soon went viral, drawing the attention of everyone, including the police.
The Officer in Charge Nyenga Police Station Bernard Ogang, 34 quickly rushed to Butabira Village, Nambau Ward in Nyenga where the victim who was studying at God’s Way Nursery School, Nyenga was recovered and taken for medical attention.
The scene was visited by detectives led by D/ASP Natukunda and D/Cpl Okurut, who also recorded statements from witnesses.
A case has been registered under CRB 151/2024 at Nyenga Police Station, where the heavily accused David Lukwago is also being kept pending transfer to Njeru Police Station.
Police Form 3(Pf3) has been issued while inquiries are still ongoing and the police say they will take the file to the State Attorney for guidance so that the suspect is arraigned before the court of law.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
