African man sentenced 15 years for cutting off boys genitals for muti magic

[SplitDik (imported)]

There is a picture of the boy and the perpetrator with the article.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/30254-B ... itals.html

A traditional healer who cut off genitals of a 5-year-old Geoffrey Mukisa has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

Court heard that John Otebati alias Otenge, had been earlier indicted of charges of kidnap with intent to murder.

“In kidnap cases, ingredients like disappearing completely or death must be proved but in this particular case, the victim is alive implying that the charges have to change from kidnap with intent to murder, to kidnap with intent to cause grievous harm,” Jinja High court judge Deo Akiki Kiiza ruled.

The judge said much as there was no force applied during the act, he lured the victim with intentions of buying him sweets.

“In my view, I have studied this file with much care. Much as this is a grave case where the victim suffered injuries and will never gain his manhood or have sex, the victim is alive and therefore, the accused person is sentenced to 15 years in jail over kidnap with intent to cause grievous harm,” the judge ruled.

Prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya, had asked for a tough sentence as a deterrent to those contemplating to do the same. The judge advised prosecution to appeal if they were not satisfied with the verdict.

“Much as the preferred charges carry 15 years, injuries sustained by the victim are permanent as he was deprived his chances of becoming a father and now lives a very difficult state of life because his urine passes out uncontrollably. This court has powers to impose a maximum sentence more than the 15 years,” Muwaganya prayed.

He also argued that the convict was above 50 years, fit enough to be a father or grandfather who in his position would have known the value of protecting and preserving human life especially of the most vulnerable.

However, the defence lawyer, Moses Kayemba argued that his client was a first offender and asked court to consider the one year and six months he had been on remand to convict him.

The ruling was read in absentia of the victim’s parents, however, in a telephone interview with the father, Godfrey Wanyama, protested the sentence saying it did not suit the crime.

Instead, Wanyama said Otebat deserved a death sentence due to the nature of the crime and vowed to appeal.

“The 15 years are less and Otebat will come out soon which is likely to traumatize my child and our family. The blame goes to the government for giving such a lighter sentence compared to the crime committed without considering the permanent damage that was inflicted on my son,” he said.

Otebat committed the crime on February 15, 2009, at Namayingo village in Bugiri district after he took advantage of the absence of both the victim’s parent and tricked the boy that he was going to buy him sweets. He took him in ta banana plantation and cut off his genital.

[tim_nullo (imported)]

No punishment would fit this crime. poor boy...