Bubulo Chief Magistrate Esther Nalungi has sentenced one Derrick Kuloba to 15 years in prison and a fine of Shs 50Million, to the family of his victim, whom he severely injured.
Kuloba was arrested in July 2019 after he chopped off the left hand of a 16-year-old S2 student, when she rejected his sex advances.
The victim, now aged 19 is Evelyn Namasopo, a resident of Nabooti Village, Nakatsi Sub County in Bududa district.
“He intercepted me and tried to force me to have sex with him. When I refused to remove my clothes as he had ordered me, he tried to cut of my head with his panga but I raised by hand to protect my head and that is how I lost my hand,” Namasopo narrated reporters back in March.
After this gruesome incident, Kuloba took off leaving Namasopo helpless.
The victim Evelyn Namasopo in court
Her mother Justine Khainza, says when the case was reported to Bududa Central Police Station, the suspect was charged with defilement instead of attempted murder, which shocked the family members.
The suspect, she says, was then arrested but later released on police bond.
Khainza decided to file a complaint to Mbale Regional Police, which led to the summoning of the file from Bududa CPS, and a new case of Attempted Murder was opened.
Kuloba was re-arrested and produced in Mbale High Court on December 17, 2020 where he was once again released on a court bail,”
At this point the angry family members decided to reach out to local human rights activists, who intervened and started following up the case.
Kuloba, who was convicted on Friday last week, yesterday received 15 years in prison and fined Shs50m.
“Considering that the convict has spent 4 months on remand I hereby send him to spend 14 years and 8 months in prison,” the Magistrate ruled.
The court also reduced the Shs 100million compensation that the prosecution has requested, on grounds that the suspect is unemployed and husband of a pregnant woman.
Speaking to reporters after the ruling, Godfrey Wakasadha, the State Prosecutor said that they were contented with the judgement.
“We requested for 15 years in prison which the Court has awarded, and Shs100m but got Shs50M,” he said
Mariam Mwizza a Human rights activist who has followed this case since 2020 said she was happy with the punishment.
“Considering how this case had been mishandled by Police from the start it was a tag of war to register it as an attempted murder. We are happy with the judgement,” she said
