Ugandan maid jailed for assault
The Ugandan househelp Jolly Tumuhiirwe (centre) who tortured her employer’s baby has been handed four years behind bars.
What you need to know:
- A video clip of the incident went viral on the social media, attracting wide condemnation both locally and internationally.
- In her verdict, which she took four minutes to read before a packed courtroom, Ms Bucyana said that it was unjustifiable for the househelp to vent her fury on the innocent baby for the mistreatment she claimed was meted out on her by her employers.
- “An analysis of the submissions by the prosecution and the defence counsel has enabled me to come to a fair sentence. I have also taken note of the requests by the complainants and the accused (Tumuhiirwe), who pleaded guilty and apologised to the parents,” said the magistrate.
A househelp who tortured her employer’s baby has been handed four years behind bars by a Ugandan court.
Parents of Arnella Kamanzi, a one-and-a-half-year-old baby tormented by Jolly Tumuhiirwe, welcomed the jail sentence.
Last evening, the prosecution spokesperson, Ms Jane Okuo Kajuga, also welcomed the sentence.
Mr Eric Kamanzi told journalists that what mattered most to them as parents is that their daughter is now fine.
“Secondly, the househelp accepted her culpability, contrary to what the public had thought — that we had concocted stories. Abusive househelps out there should draw lessons from this case,” said Mr Kamanzi.
He was in the company of his wife, Angela Mbabazi, at the court. The two have been closely following the case since last week.
The wife became so emotional after the verdict was read that she occasionally shed tears.
Earlier in the day, Buganda Road Court chief magistrate Lillian Bucyana said the sentence matched the pain she inflicted on a defenceless baby on November 13.
WENT VIRAL
The attack was captured on a CCTV camera installed in the house.
A video clip of the incident went viral on the social media, attracting wide condemnation both locally and internationally.
In the clip, the househelp is seen kicking, pushing and dragging the baby. She also steps on the child’s waist as the defenceless baby yells in pain.
In her verdict, which she took four minutes to read before a packed courtroom, Ms Bucyana said that it was unjustifiable for the househelp to vent her fury on the innocent baby for the mistreatment she claimed was meted out on her by her employers.
Last week, Tumuhiirwe admitted in court that she had assaulted Arnella.
“An analysis of the submissions by the prosecution and the defence counsel has enabled me to come to a fair sentence. I have also taken note of the requests by the complainants and the accused (Tumuhiirwe), who pleaded guilty and apologised to the parents,” said the magistrate.
She said the reason given by the househelp for the attack was unjustifiable.
“No amount of mistreatment from an adult to another should justify the kind of brutality exhibited by the convict on a young, innocent, helpless and defenceless child,” she added.
