Father Arrested for Withdrawing Defilement Case against Daughter

High Court in Kampala has ordered for the arrest of a father who wanted the court to discontinue a defilement case against his nine year old daughter.

The father, whose identity is withheld to protect the daughter, appeared in court as a state witness in an aggravated defilement case, where 24-year-old Calvin Mwangi, a clinical officer is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 9-year-old at their home in Kamwokya in June 2016.

The father to the victim filed the complaint against Mwangi leading to his prosecution. It was on this basis that he had been scheduled to appear as one of the state witnesses and bring the victim to testify.

But when he was called in the dock to testify, the father declared that he had lost interest in the matter. He said he needs to consult his other relatives if they needed to pursue the matter, but hastened to add that as the caretaker, he was no longer interested in the case.

This statement excited the suspect who started smiling in the dock but angered the Presiding Judge Jane Francis Abodo who immediately ordered for the arrest and detention of the witness at Central Police Station Kampala.

"Let him be taken in until he gets back to his senses and stops taking this court for granted. I am giving you up to tomorrow to make sure the victim appears here to testify." Justice Abodo told the witness who was immediately handcuffed and led out of the court premises.

The session which is scheduled to end this week on Friday is supposed to handle this case to a conclusion in the next three days as well as conclude other 21 cases at various stages of the trial.