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Kings Palace Primary School Director Remanded Over Aggravated Defilement and Child Trafficking Charges
The director of Kings Palace Primary School in Luwero Town Council, Jonah Ssebanenya, finds himself remanded by the Luwero Grade One Magistrate court on allegations of aggravated defilement and child trafficking. Ssebanenya is accused of defiling six pupils aged between 13 and 17, who were candidates in Primary Seven.
Ssebanenya, who also serves as a medical worker at Katuugo Health Center III in Luwero sub-county, appeared before Grade One Magistrate John Paul Obuya on Tuesday, facing two charges of aggravated defilement in violation of sections 129 (3) (4) (a) and (C) of the Penal Code Act and child trafficking.
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State Attorney Sandra Nakire led the prosecution, alleging that between September and October 2023, Ssebanenya engaged in sexual acts with a 17-year-old pupil in Kikubajinja zone in Luwero town. Additionally, Nakire claimed that Ssebanenya trafficked the same child for purposes of sexual exploitation. She requested an adjournment, citing ongoing inquiries.
Magistrate Obuya, explaining that his court lacked jurisdiction to hear the cases, informed Ssebanenya that he would need to enter a plea in the High Court. Consequently, Obuya remanded Ssebanenya to Butuntumula prison until November 2023, when he is scheduled to return for a mention of his cases.
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Luwero District is grappling with a surge in defilement cases, both in schools and communities. In a recent incident, Shadrack Kabugo, a teacher at Rapha Primary School, was arrested and remanded on allegations of defiling a 13-year-old pupil he was teaching. Kabugo is expected to return to Luwero magistrate court on November 22, 2023, for a mention of the aggravated case against him.
According to the Police crime report, a total of 166 defilement cases were reported to the Police in 2022, with 68 cases classified as aggravated, ranking the district second for the highest number of such cases.
