Ramathan Ndikuyezi, the Kisoro District National Resistant Movement (NRM) party Vice Chairperson is on remand for alleged aggravated child trafficking. He appeared before Rachael Tabaruka, the Kabale Grade One Magistrate on Tuesday, who remanded him to Ndorwa prisons.
Ndikuyezi was arrested in July this year for allegedly defiling a 16-year-old girl in April. It is alleged that during the COVID-19 lockdown, the victim approached Ndikuyeze asking to work as an attendant at one of his pump fuel stations in Kisoro municipality. Ndikuyeze instead promised the teenager a job as an estates manager of his property but on the condition that he falls in love with him.
It is alleged that upon realizing that she had conceived in April this year, the teenager informed Ndikuyeze who helped to secure a job for her a job as a housemaid in Buziga, Makindye Division, Kampala. He allegedly helped the victim to terminate the pregnancy.
The victim developed complications during the abortion and was rushed to Quantum Medical Facility, which referred her to Nsambya Hospital for better treatment after it was discovered that the fetus was still stuck in her womb. The incident triggered anger in Kisoro district when the teen’s father lodged a complaint at Kisoro police station.
Detectives from the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Department at the Criminal Investigations Directorate-CID in Kibuli picked up Ndikuzeye from his office in July this year. He was briefly held at Kisoro police station before he was whisked off to Kampala.
He was however released before reaching Kibuli for questioning. Ndikuzeye remained free until Thursday last week when he was arrested leading to his court appearance Tuesday on charges of aggravated child trafficking. Court didn’t allow the accused to plead to the charges since it lacks jurisdiction on capital matters.
Ndikuzeye’s lawyer who declined to reveal his name asked the court to release him on bail in vain. Ndikuyeze is expected to return to court on October 11, 2022, for mention of his case. Prison warders whisked off he accused to the court holding cells where he spent almost an hour before he was driven off to Ndorwa government prison amidst tight security.
