The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mityana, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A victim of cybercrime in Gulu is demanding five million Shillings compensation for the harassment, financial harm or emotional trauma she has suffered.
Sarah Amito, 26, a resident of Te-Gwana Parish in Gulu East City Division alleges that after she and her six other old school girls developed misunderstanding, in February 2020, they formed a WhatsApp group, which was used to tarnish her character.
According to Amito, the suspects in February started posting photoshopped images portraying her nudity and her having sexual intercourse with an unidentified man to harass her and tarnish her reputation.
As a result, she filed a cyber harassment case at Gulu Central Police Station. With guidance from the Police, four of the six suspects were arrested. They include Tracy Anena, Shamim Lakica, Nancy Arach, and Shamim Lakot, all residents of Gulu City. However, two of their colleagues Jackeline Laker and Monica Aciro remained at large.
Last week, concerned parents of the suspects approached police requesting for lenience and begged for the matter to be settled outside court. The officers complied and granted them police bond prompting their release from custody and tasked the four suspects to report back to Gulu CPS on August 31, 2020, with a written apology.
Meanwhile, Amito is seeking compensation of five million Shillings from the group. Agnes Ajok, the mother of the victim told URN that the parents of the suspects have requested her daughter to reduce the cost to 500,000 for each of the suspects due to financial hardship created by the current Coronavirus Disease situation in the country.
The Computer Misuse Act 2011 introduces penalties for offences related to cyber harassment ranging from a fineof 480,000 Shillings or maximum imprisonment of one year for the use of offensive communication and a fine of 4.8 million shillings or maximum 10 years imprisonment for electronic fraud offence.
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