Emma Bwayo The LCV Chairperson of Namisindwa District, has decried the rising cases of defilement in the district, accusing some parents of turning their girls into a source of wealth.
Bwayo made the revelation on Tuesday while addressing Media at the district headquarters.
Bwayo said Namisindwa is facing a crisis of defilement, with cases increasing every month, and blamed parents who have commercialized the vice.
"Defilement cases in Namisindwa now stand at 27%. This is very high and worrying. Most of our parents have turned defilement into an income-generating project," Bwayo said.
According to Bwayo, whenever a girl is defiled, some parents no longer seek justice but instead demand huge sums of money, cows and land from the suspect's family.
He revealed that most defilement cases in Namisindwa are being frustrated by parents who see defiled girls as an opportunity to extort money and property from suspects.
"It is very shameful that most parents are now turning their girls for wealth. When a girl is defiled, instead of seeking justice, they start bargaining for money, cows and land," Bwayo lamented.
He also accused some police officers of being too corrupt while handling defilement cases, arguing that they encourage both parents of the victim and the suspect to negotiate.
"Our police officers are too corrupt while handling defilement cases. They tell both parents to negotiate and settle the matter out of police. This is illegal and it has made parents sell land and properties to pay for defilement settlements," he said.
Bwayo said due to these illegal negotiations, many families have ended up selling land and properties to compensate victims' families, while the victims fail to get justice and suspects go scot-free.
He called upon the police leadership and the Resident District Commissioner to intervene and ensure all defilement cases are handled according to the law.
"Defilement is a capital offence. It should not be negotiated. I call upon police to stop asking parents to negotiate. Let the law take its course," he added.
Bwayo called upon the Inspector General of Police and the Ministry of Gender labour and social development to intervene and investigate police officers handling defilement cases in the district.
He urged parents to protect their girls and report all defilement cases to relevant authorities instead of commercializing them.
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