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Shift Media News 
By Our Reporter
BUVUMA, Uganda[SHIFTMEDIA NEWS] Police authorities in the Island district of Buvuma are on the spot for not putting an errant Uganda People’s Defense Forces officer to order.
The UPDF officer identified as Robert is accused by locals of molesting a Najib Iguru, a 4 year old boy.
Robert said he did the heinous act because the boy stoned him as he rode a bike in the village roads.
But the boy’s mother, Aisha Namugaya instead accuses the soldier of brutally assaulting her son because he laughed at him as he learnt to ride the bike.
According to Uganda Radio Network , Robert is attached to a detach in Nandala forest, Nairambi sub-county in
“After beating the boy, the soldier took off, however I made an alarm calling for help from my husband,” Namugaya told URN.
“When he arrived he first told me to carry the boy and report the matter to the LC I chairperson. However, upon looking at the boy’s condition he changed his mind and rushed him to the hospital.”
Abdulla Muyodi, the father to the victim says that upon his return from the hospital, he met with the same soldier along the way who instructed him to report the matter at the local council.
But as the village council sat to handle the matter, the soldier arrived fully armed and also dressed in full combat uniform. He ordered the village council members to lie down on their stomachs lest he starts shooting.
“He instructed me to lead him to my home before ordering all the village leaders not to follow us,” Muyodi explained further.
Police fails
Muyodi says he managed to coordinate with the village chairperson to report the matter to police but instead they were referred to the office of the resident district commissioner (RDC).
“We managed to see the RDC, Deborah Mwesigwa at around 10 pm and she instructed us to return the following day, on Wednesday after listening to our concern, instructed police to investigate the matter” says Muyodi.
“However, police have never stepped in our village to do any investigations. Despite the DPC Emilly Angomu acknowledging the fact that our boy was tortured, she only called and instructed the soldier to compensate us. She even retained our medical forms on which we receive treatment at hospital.”
The accused UPDF soldier together with the sub county internal security officer (GISO) visited Muyodi’s home on instructions of the DPC and forced him to accept Shs 50,000 ($13) as compensation. They also instructed him to sign acknowledging receipts of the money but declined saying the money is not enough to treat the boy.
So far Muyodi says he has spent over Shs 200,000 in transport and medicine. Currently the boy has regained some energy and can stand but finds it difficult to walk. On his right thigh, there are black bruises indicating the torture he underwent.
The entire village council is currently scared of what may happen next to them, as the armed Robert is still at large and unrestrained. Police has not yet taken any interest in the fact that he was learning how to ride a motorised machine without a qualified instructor.
The LC I chairperson, Patrick Kaso says the soldier threatened to shoot them in case they don’t give up pushing for his arrest.
“I went to the police as well as the office of the RDC and recorded my statement about the incident but nothing has been done so far,” said the scared chairperson.
The UPDF spokesperson declined to comment on the matter when contacted.
