Road constructors blinding young girls with money and small gifts for the exchange of sex.

AS a follow up on the INSPIRE training strategies in Buyangabu District, the locally trained persons by RIC-NET and RIDE africa are following up on cases of Violence against Children in Bunyangabu District to highlight the inadequate implementation of the laws.

Armpass construction co.ltd has been contracted by Government of the Republic of Uganda to construct and rehabilitate a number of roads in Uganda e.g. the road from Kyanga- Rwimi town council- Bunyangabu district to Kasisi,Ruteete Sub County-Kabarole District. 

This road passes through Kadindima trading centre, near kangume’s home. Residents along this road are raising fear due to the road constructors who are blinding young girls with money and small gifts for the exchange of sex.

A case in point is Mr. Reynaldo Gumwid, a citizen of Philippine, an employee of Armpass co.ltd  who routinely defiled  a 16 years girl (names withheld) from Karambi Zone,  Kadindima parish, Rwimi Sub county,  Bunyangabu District.

Reynaldo went out of lack on 8 August 2019 when he was caught in act at Roho Guest House located in Kahungabunyonyi, Rwengoma A, West Division , Fort portal municipality. 

Police officers attached to fort portal police station received information from the victim’s brother-in- law known as Simon Byamukama that Reynaldo Gumwid is in lodge with her. Immediately, police intervened, red-handed, arrested both of them. Rwenzori Police spokesperson Ms. Lydia Tumushabe confirmed that the police arrested Gumwid with the minor from the lodge and was  taken to courts of law to face charges of defilement and  remanded to Fort portal Government prison – Katojo, later bailed out by his workmates on 15 August  2019. 

RICNET/RIDE AFRCA team was concerned buy the circumstances of the bail as reported by the local INSPIRE activitis. The team visited  the family of victim but the victim and her mother allegedly in to fort portal to see  state attorney  how to  withdraw the defilement case against Reynaldo Gumwid.

Kate Ndagano, the victim’s older sister, who is Byamukama’s wife and his Brother Bright Christopher, a bodaboda rider, they confirmed that  the victim had just completed primary seven and refused to join a vocational school on the grounds that she wanted secondary education, of which the family don’t have enough money to support her for secondary education.

According to family members, the victim was staying with her close relative since March 2019 who did not restrict her movements. she turned into a redundant, stubborn and unruly girl. 

it was alleged that the  family members were given  4 millions ugandan shillings to silence them and not to follow up the case, but the brother and sister to the victim refuted the information as mere rumors. But they said that the Armpass co.ltd employees are persuading them to withdraw the case so that the perpetrator starts paying school fees for their daughter.

  

Bernard Katesirwa, the LC1 chairman confirmed that, young girls in his area most of them are redundant, unruly, and stubborn. He further said that they take a lot of alcohol with old men and women.  He called on parents to always have enough time for their children to teach them traditional and culture values of chastity and desist from early sex .