Masindi man, brother arrested for marrying off underage daughter
The girl was 14 years old and also a resident of the same village.
By Our Reporter
Masindi: Police, in collaboration with the office of Masindi district probation and child welfare, have arrested a man and his brother for allegedly marrying off an underage daughter.
The suspects have been identified as Geoffrey Tugume, the father of the girl, and his brother, Gerald Musinguzi, both residents of Kasongoire village, Budongo Sub County, Masindi district.
The girl was 14 years old and also a resident of the same village.
The duo’s arrest followed a revelation by the residents of Kasongoire during a community sensitization meeting on sexual gender-based violence organized by the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) in Kasongoire village in Budongo Sub County on Friday.
The residents said the girl, who completed P7 last year, disappeared from her parents’ home in December last year and that it is believed that she got married after Musinguzi connived with a certain man with the knowledge of Tugume.
However, Tugume, who was also in the meeting, denied prior knowledge about his child’s disappearance, saying he was notified about it by his wife, which prompted him to report the matter to the police. He added that he was later told by his wife that the child was in Kagadi district, but he was unable to go there due to financial constraints.
However, Annette Karamagi, the Masindi district probation and child welfare officer, linked up with officers at Kabango police station who first arrested Musinguzi and later arrested Tugume.
According to Karamagi, the duo is currently detained at Kabango police station, aiding the investigations into the girl’s disappearance.
Karamagi noted that cases of early marriage are becoming rampant in Masindi district, with at least three cases being registered in a period of one month.
Speaking during the meeting, Maureen Kyomuhendo, the program officer for FOWODE, revealed that the purpose of the meeting was to convene the community and stakeholders in sexual gender-based violence mediation, management and action so as to hold the perpetrators accountable.
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