Kasese, Uganda | URN | Misfortune has so far dogged the life of 17-year-old Hadija (surname withheld because she is a minor). She dropped out of school when her own teacher defiled her and she became pregnant.
Now hardly recovered from a difficult childbirth and nursing her three-months baby in Kasese, she has been gang-raped by five thugs who broke into her home when her mother was away to take care of a patient in Mbarara.
The gangsters who attacked Hadija in the night after breaking the door of her home in Muhokya cell, Kasese district dragged her out and demanded that she pays them 150,000 Shillings. She failed to raise the money that her abductors wanted and they violently took turns on her, causing her grievous injury.
The victim was alone with her baby at home when she was attacked by the thugs in the night.
According to her, the thugs were possibly targeting whatever money her mother had been raising to treat a sick relative.
“They could have thought the money was still in our house,” Hadija said.
She told our reporter that when the thugs broke into the house, they first claimed that they were security personnel doing patrols.
They pulled her out of the house and said they were taking her to police on unspecified charges, but said she could gain her freedom if she paid them 150,000 Shillings.
Her pleas that she didn’t have any money couldn’t yielded any mercy and the five of them pulled her into a nearby bush and proceeded to gang rape her.
Later she managed to crawl home, bleeding, until she was discovered by well-wishers.
Ernest Masereka, working with Muhokya Health Centre III, says they were alerted about the incident and they are managing her before she is tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including HIV.
Abdu Latif Bigemera, the area chairperson says one of the suspect was arrested and they are teaming up with security to make further investigations.
Hadija, who has suffered aggravated rape so soon after giving birth, is also struggling to raise her three months old baby, fathered by her teacher at Humanist School in Muhokya during the lockdown period.
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She is also struggling to get justice after the teacher denied responsibility.
When the matter of Hadija having gang-raped by five thugs was put before the Kasese probation officer Zainabu Asiimwe, she told this publication that they have picked interest in the matter and her officer was to make an immediate follow up.
Will the Kasese probation office now secure some justice for Hadija, who has suffered aggravated rape so soon after giving birth following the defilement by an adult who was supposed to protect her?
