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proved this element of the offence beyond reasonable doubt
Resolution by the Court
That the victim was below 18 years of age
[14] In this case, the victim (PW1) MABIIRA JOYCE Alias MUHINDO FAITH stated that she was aged 10 (Ten) years on the 30th day of May 2025. Her mother KABUGHO DEBORAH (PW2) confirmed the victim's age upon checking her after the incident and observing injuries consistent with a young child. The medical examination report of the victim (PE1 - PF3A) was tendered, showing findings consistent with a child of tender age. These matters were not contested by the defence. Prosecution has therefore proved this element of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
That a sexual act was performed on the victim
[15] A sexual act means (a) penetration of the vagina, mouth or anus of one person by a sexual organ of another person, however slight; or (b) the unlawful use of any object or organ by a person on another person’s sexual organ. Sexual organ means a vagina or a penis. Note that a sexual act does not necessarily have to be sexual intercourse. In the present case, the victim (PW1) narrated to court that on the 30th day of May 2025 at around 1600hrs at Kambukamabwe 11 Cell, Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town Council, in Kasese District, the accused called her while holding a hoe and instructed her to take it to his house. The accused chased her siblings MUMBERE PROMISE and MBUSA FESTO away, followed her inside his house holding a dried cassava stick, ordered her to remove her knickers threatening to cane her if she refused, removed his trousers, ordered her to lie on the sofa seat in the sitting room, and forcefully performed sexual intercourse on her. The victim experienced a lot of pain in her private parts and narrated the incident to her mother (PW2), who observed injuries in her private parts. The victim’s medical examination report (PE1 - PF3A) showed that she had an inflamed vulva.
That it is the accused who performed the sexual act on the victim
[16] In order to prove the participation of an accused person in the commission of an alleged offence, the prosecution has to adduce evidence which places the accused person at the scene of the crime or that discloses him/her as the perpetrator of the alleged crime. The evidence may be direct or circumstantial. On the evidence before me, the victim (PW1) identified the accused KATHEMBO WEZU as her neighbour who approached her with her siblings on the material day at around 1600hrs, called her holding a hoe, instructed her to take it to his house, chased her siblings away, followed her inside with a dried cassava stick, threatened her, and forcefully performed sexual intercourse with her on the sofa seat.
[17] The victim’s mother (PW2) KABUGHO DEBORAH stated that the victim narrated the ordeal to her due to pain, and upon checking, observed injuries in her private parts. The matter was reported to police leading to the arrest of the accused. Prosecution evidence showed that the accused was well known to the victim as a neighbour. The accused was examined on PF24A (PE2) and found to be in a normal mental state and of an apparent age of 23 years.
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This law problem is solved step by step below, with detailed explanations to help you understand the method and arrive at the correct answer.