High Court Judge, Justice David Batema on Tuesday sentenced a father, Hassan Kafudde to 52 years imprisonment for participating in trafficking in persons.
It was shown to the court that Hassan Kafudde brought the idea of sacrificing the son in a ritual murder in order to get riches.
Bateema through High Court of Uganda Circuit at Iganga convicted and sentenced Muyita Issa (A1), Hassan Kafudde (A2) and Kabaale Mubaraka (A3) for the count of Trafficking in Persons contrary to section 4(a), 5(c) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act.
It was the case of the Prosecutions that on 6th June 2017, the convicts at Musita village in Mayuge District chopped off the head and genitals of a child MJ in a ritual sacrifice looking for quick wealth.
Muyita Issa pleaded guilty and entered a Plea Bargain and he offered to testify on behalf of the Prosecution as a witness. He was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment. The trial proceeded against Hassan Kafudde and Kabaale Mubaraka who pleaded not guilty.
At the trial, Muyita Issa confessed that he walked with Hassan Kafudde from Musita trading centre to the sugarcane plantation wherein he presented his son MJ to Hassan Kafudde to slaughter him using a big long knife.
It was shown to the court that Hassan Kafudde brought the idea of sacrificing the son in a ritual murder in order to get riches.
The son was killed in a sugarcane plantation near a stream. Hassan Kafudde then scooped the blood in a polythene bag or kavera and took the chopped body parts in his bag.
He also dug a shallow grave in which they buried the headless trunk of the sacrificed boy. Hassan Kafudde was consequentially found guilty of sacrificing the child MJ in a ritual murder and convicted as charged.
However, it was later demonstrated in court that Kabaale Mubaraka did not actively participate in the commission of the offence.
It was however showed to court that Kabaale Mubaraka was a witch doctor who had shrines in Musita village and was notified by Hassan Kafudde of the action that had been committed.
Kabaale Mubaraka later went into hiding after the incident. He was however found guilty of accessory after the fact of the ritual murder contrary to section 394 of the Penal Code Act.
Hassan Kafudde was sentenced to 52 years imprisonment while Kabaale Mubaraka was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment.
While delivering his judgement, Batema said the that court condemns the ritual sacrifice of children, cutting off their bodies or dealing in body parts, adding that, the same are serious crimes and the rare of the rarest kind of criminality.
Batema explained that he decided to slap Kafudde with a long custodial sentence because he was unremorseful throughout the court hearing and unwilling to show cause of regret for the offence committed.
Batema ruled that Kafudde should spend 52 years in Kirinya prisons including the six years spent on remand.
The judge found Kabaale Mubaraka guilty of being an accessory to commit a crime since he had knowledge about the crime committed, but he was hesitant to alert police about the same.
Batema had sentenced him to three years imprisonment, but since Kabaale had already served six years on remand, he directed for his immediate release.
Jacqueline Okui, the DPP spokesperson hailed court for the landmark judgement, arguing that, it will deter other individuals from involving themselves in this form of criminality.
Okui further challenged parents to be at the forefront of safeguarding their children’s wellbeing, noting that, acts of directly or indirectly involving themselves in child rights abuses like ritual murders will attract big custodial sentences.
Meanwhile, Kafudde’s lawyer, James Haumba says that he is happy about the closing in of the case, but he is waiting for further instructions from his client on how best they can proceed with the matter.
The Prosecutions guided investigations of this matter were guided by Aliwali Kizito Chief State Attorney and the matter was prosecuted by Racheal Bikhole Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Division, Nyanzi Gladys Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Biira Peace Chief State Attorney and Arap Malinga a Senior State Attorney of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions