Mukono Police have arrested a 43-year-old teacher at St. Stephen’s Primary School Nakapiny a prominent Church of Uganda Founded School in Nama Subcounty Mukono District on allegations of aggravated defilement.
The primary teacher, identified as Abdul Ziiwa teaches social studies to pupils of primary five, six and seven at the school.
It is alleged that the teacher defiled three of his pupils aged 13, 14 and 15 respectively all pupils of primary seven.
While it is reported that two of the girls were defiled once each, one of the girls alleges the teacher defiled her on six occasions.
It was reported that he coaxed the girls by promising to make them pass their mock exams and also assist them in paying their secondary school fees.
The school administration revealed to police that the teacher had registered one of the girls under his guardianship given that she was an orphan and unable to provide herself a decent education. The teacher convinced her relatives and the school administration into letting him assist in educating the girl.
As one of the girls had been sent back home for a school fees balance and decided to go back to the staff quarters where they had been residing.
One of the victims narrated that the teacher on realizing this, excused himself and went back home where he defiled her from the pit latrine, gave her 20000/- to pay as school fees.
Ziiwa then instructed the victim not to reveal the incident to anyone and ordered her to go to class.
The head teacher confirmed the girl’s statement saying that after a few hours the girl reported back to school with 20000/- shillings as partial payment of the school dues.
But after lunch break, the girl began to feel severe abdominal pains.
The case came to light, when one of the victims had gone to Luweero where she had registered to sit for her mock exams.
She adamantly refused to return to school and her aunt was forced to take her back after refused to go to school alone.
The victim narrated her ordeal to the aunt who immediately reported a case to the police and the teacher was apprehended. Its through this that the other two stigmatized young girls came out of silence and spoke up against their teacher.
The teacher took advantage of the young girls because they lacked the assertiveness to say no.
One of the victims told police the teacher had defiled her since May 2018, the other two recalled the dates as 2nd July 2018 and 22nd July 2018 respectively.
Another victim narrated that given the gift of a mathematical set he had bought her, she feared the consequences in the event that she refused to give in to her teacher’s demands.
The third victim stated that Mr. Ziiwa had threatened to fail and get her expelled from school should she refuse to sleep with him.
The minors have been taken for medical examination and the results for all three pupils confirm evidence of a ruptured hymen.
The suspect is currently detained at Mukono Police Station,charged with aggravated defilement vide CRB 1060/2018,1062/2018 and 1073/2018 pending court.
OPINION:
Sometimes parents send their children to school and entrust the teachers with the responsibility of looking after them. Outrightly these teachers assume the role of guardians and are expected to take children under their wings by guiding them in a proper manner for they spend more time with them compared to their parents.
However, on various occasions some teachers have taken advantage of the responsibility entrusted in them by abusing the same children.
“Girl children should be allowed to grow into responsible citizens through a good education not exposing them to sexual harassment for they are the future leaders and should be protected at all costs,” Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said.
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