A 44-year-old blind man, Ivan Birungi, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for raping a 15-year-old girl he had hired as a maid. The sentence was handed down by Mukono District Court Judge Paul Matyama following Birungi’s conviction for offences committed in February last year. Court heard that Birungi had recruited the teenage […]
A 44-year-old blind man, Ivan Birungi, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for raping a 15-year-old girl he had hired as a maid.
The sentence was handed down by Mukono District Court Judge Paul Matyama following Birungi’s conviction for offences committed in February last year.
Court heard that Birungi had recruited the teenage girl from the village to assist with chores and accompany him while begging for assistance.
The prosecution, led by Josephine Nanyonga, had asked the court to impose a 14-year sentence citing the seriousness of the crime.
However, His Worship Matyama said he considered mitigating factors, including Birungi’s age, blindness, and first-time involvement in criminal activity, before passing the seven-year sentence.
The judge also ruled that the 12 days Birungi spent on remand would count toward his sentence, leaving him with six years, eleven months, and eighteen days to serve.
During the trial, evidence showed that Birungi had communicated with the girl by phone while still in the village and spoke in a female voice, leading her to believe she would be working for a woman in Kampala.
Birungi asked the court for forgiveness, saying he could not tell the girl’s age due to his blindness. However, the court maintained that the offence was serious and warranted imprisonment.
The Presiding officer Matyama informed Birungi that he has the right to appeal the sentence if he is dissatisfied with the decision.
