Precious Tumuhirwe, a maid who tortured a 4 year old baby girl has pleaded guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
The Kira Magistrates Court, presided over by Shallon Niwaha, passed the sentence against Tumuhirwe a resident of Namataba, Kirinya, who was captured on camera violently beating and trying to break the baby girl’s legs.
The Magistrate noted that both the parents and child have endured physical and emotional harm, and that Tumuhirwe had abused the trust and authority given to her in regard to the child ‘s welfare and safety. The Magistrate further stated that Tumuhirwe’s actions of fleeing the scene demonstrated a complete disregard for human life.
The magistrate expressed concern about the prevalence of torture in Ugandan communities, despite efforts by the court, human rights defenders, and activists to address the issue. The severity of the child’s injuries and Tumuhirwe’s subsequent actions led the magistrate to conclude that she has a “wild heart” and a “heart of a rotten wild animal in a human body.”
The victim, a daughter of Michael Mwesigwa and his estranged wife Doreen Kansiime, was left in the care of Tumuhirwe by her father, who had gone to work. However, at around 11 pm, the father received a distress call from neighbours, informing him that his child was being tortured by Tumuhirwe.
Despite the neighbours’ pleas, Tumuhirwe refused to open the door, and the father had to rush back home to rescue his daughter. The victim was found lying on the floor, helpless and injured, with blood oozing from her mouth. She was rushed to Nsambya hospital where she was admitted in critical condition.
Tumuhirwe was arrested in Kabale while disembarking from Gateway Bus after fleeing the scene. She was brought back to Kira to face charges. The victim according to evidence submitted before court suffered multiple wounds, including lacerations on the lips, and was classified as having grievous harm. She also experienced physical and psychological trauma, fearing people and crying whenever someone tried to talk to her.
