A court in Saudi Arabia has awarded Judith Nakintu, a Ugandan domestic worker 270 million Shillings for the illegal harvest of her right kidney while at King Fahad Hospital in Jeddah.
Nakintu lost her kidney when she was admitted after getting involved in an accident with her employer Saad Dhafer Mohamed Al-Asmari.
The Saudi court led by Ibrahim Mohammed Hamud Al-Mahyani found Dhafer culpable for causing the accident in which, Nakintu was injured. “…convicting Saad Dhafer Mohamed Al-Asmari of the error in the accident by 100 per cent. Obligating the defendant, Saad Dhafer Mohamed Al-Asmari, to hand over to the plaintiff, Nakintu Judith, the indemnity for the aforementioned injury an amount of 271,450 Riyals,” the ruling by Al-Mahyani reads in part.
Nakintu has been in the news for losing a kidney in a scheme allegedly orchestrated by the proprietors of the Kiwatule based Nile Treasure Gate, a labour export firm and Dhafer. However, Nile Treasure Gate through their lawyer, Atanansi Nsubuga, insist that Nakintu was involved in an accident on March 20, 2020, less than four months after leaving Uganda.
Nsubuga explained that they have since been following the accident and even sued Dhafer to compensate Nakintu until the court delivered its verdict on January 30th, 2022 awarding the victim Shillings 270m minus legal costs. A traffic report from Saudi Arabia translated by Makerere University College of Education and External studies shows that Nakintu was driving with Dhafer.
Other occupants included Dhafer’s wife, three daughters and son. The car allegedly overturned at New Coast Road, a few metres from Al-Qattan Bridge towards Al-Laith. “…a traffic accident occurred in which a vehicle of Tahoe model overturned, plate number (5569), driver Saadi Dhafer, Saudi national, I.D number 1036733028holds a driver’s license and insurance…” reads the traffic report.
Nsubuga explained that they are already working with security agencies in Uganda and Saudi Arabia to establish how Nakintu’s kidney was removed during the one year she spent in the hospital under treatment.
The medical report shows that Nakintu sustained external bruises, bruises of the lungs with a simple bloody air gathering inside, liver bruises, thrombosis of the right kidney artery, pelvic fractures and pelvic bone injuries. The report adds that Dhafer did not only cause serious injuries to Nakintu but also caused the death of his daughter Litin Saad Dhafer Mohamed Al-Asmari and son Saud Saad Dhafer Mohamed Al-Asmari.
The report from King Fahad hospital indicates that “Ms Nakintu was badly injured and bedridden for over a year. The Ugandan embassy in Saudi Arabia was also in the know of the condition, visited her and wrote several letters to various offices seeking support for Ms Nakintu,” Nsubuga said.
Ever since Mulago National Referral hospital and police confirmed that Nakintu’s right kidney had been removed, police working with other security agencies have so far arrested four proprietors and managers of Nile Treasure Gate Company. The suspects are still incarcerated at Jinja Road police station. Efforts to speak to one Kayongo, who has been speaking on behalf of Nakintu’s family were futile as he did not pick nor return calls from our reporter.
Police and immigration officials are trying to establish the circumstances, under which Nakintu’s kidney was removed if at all she was taken to the hospital following an accident. Agnes Igoye, the Deputy Coordinator National Anti-human Trafficking Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, says Nile Treasure Gate Company conspired with medical officers in Saudi Arabia to make claims that Nakintu was involved in an accident and her internal organs were intact.
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