Private security guard on the run after torturing his son

Jinja, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Police in Kiira region is hunting for Yasin Wandera, a private guard who allegedly battered his Seven-year-old son Halid Mwima, and broke his left thigh bone. 

Mwima, a resident of Lwanda village in Northern division, Jinja city is currently nursing wounds at Jinja regional referral hospital orthopaedic ward after being battered by his father on Saturday. Wandera fled the scene, but his neighbours alerted the police about the gruesome incident.

Abbey Ngako, the Kiira region police spokesperson says that Wandera intentionally injured Mwima’s leg over failure to return home on time. He adds that the Police has mounted a search for Mwima to face charges of child neglect and child abuse.       

The child also narrates that his father faulted him of reckless movements before pouncing on him and leaving him unconscious. He said this was not the first time that he was being beaten to a pulp, by his father.

The victim’s grandmother, Sylvia Nabirye says that Wandera abandoned Mwima under her care five years ago and only comes around to ‘destabilize them’.  Nabirye adds that even though area leaders have intervened, Wandera has failed to change the unfounded negative attitude towards his son.

Alex Okware, the in charge of the orthopaedic ward says that Mwima developed complications on arrival at the facility but is slowly adhering to treatment and will be discharged in two months.

Police records show that there has been an increase in cases of child abuse during the lockdown. But  Abbey Ngako told URN that a bigger percentage of cases are believed to have gone unnoticed due to lack of transport and intervention from local leaders. 20 cases of child abuse were reported throughout the lockdown.

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URN