Empower Child Domestic Workers Through Education

Child trafficker sentenced to 18 years Imprisonment

On 22^nd November 2021, the High Court of Uganda sitting at Kampala and presided over by Hon. Lady Justice Joyce Kavuma convicted and sentence a one Kayiira Eric to 18 years imprisonment for aggravated child trafficking particularly sexual exploitation (Defilement) of 15 year old girl.  This is one of the cases that has been supported under the project entitled Addressing Child Trafficking and Slavery in Uganda being implemented by Hope for Justice and Platform for Labour Action with financial support from Global Fund to End Modern day Slavery.

The facts to this case were that between October and November 2020 the perpetuator sexually assaulted and defiled a 15 years old girl whose names have been withheld for security purposes. The victim had been brought from her home district Rakai in February 2020 to work as a domestic worker for one of the residents in a suburb of Makindye division of Kampala. She worked diligently until the perpetuator who is a brother to the employer visited and started living with them. In October 2020, perpetuator started having forceful sexual intercourse with the victim whenever her employer would live for work and she was warned not to tell anyone. The victim however, confided in one of neighbours about the abuse but the neighbour didn’t take any supportive action. The perpetuator continued with the sexual assault. In November 2020, the victim confided in a saloon lady where she had gone to plait her hair about the abuse she was experiencing. The saloon lady immediately reported to the chairperson in charge of children protection in the area and the chairperson immediately reported the matter to the nearby police station. The police responded swiftly and arrested the perpetuator and the employer of the victim as well as rescuing the victim.

The police station that rescued the victim reached to Hope for Justice to offer victim support. At Hope for Justice, the victim was placed under the direct support of the ACTS project where she received comprehensive trauma informed care services including legal aid support which was offered by Platform for Labour Action as one of the implementing partners of the ACTS project where it complements the consortium with her experience in legal aid provision. PLA supported and prepared the victim as a principal witness in her case through a series of confidence and trusting sessions. These sessions enabled the victim to give her principal evidence with ease, clarity and without any difficulties.  PLA also worked closely with the police investigating officers and prosecutors to ensure that proactive actions are taken on the file; supported the victim to attend all the court sessions whenever scheduled. The success of this case has been attributed to the active participation and willingness of the victim.