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The incident came to light when a video of the act went viral, leading concerned neighbours to alert the authorities, who then arrested Namwanje.
During the hearing, the prosecution, led by George Kalinaki, detailed the events of 4th November.
The video evidence, which circulated widely on social media, showed Namwanje force-feeding faeces to her friend’s infant in what appeared to be a deliberate act of cruelty.
Following the incident, the child was taken for medical examination, which revealed a healing wound on his left eye, a sign of previous physical abuse.
The prosecutor also informed the court that Namwanje tested positive for HIV, though this did not directly impact the sentencing.
Pleads guilty
Namwanje, who pleaded guilty, attempted to appeal to the court’s mercy, saying she could not understand what had driven her to commit such an act.
“Your worship, I ask that you forgive me for my acts. I pray that you give me a sentence depending on what I did,” she said, expressing remorse. However, her plea for leniency did little to influence the court’s decision.
In a firm response, Chief Magistrate Aloysius Natwijuka condemned Namwanje’s actions as “grave and barbaric,” noting that her behaviour marked her as unfit for society.
Emphasising the need to protect Uganda’s vulnerable children, Natwijuka stated, “The actions of the convict were grave and barbaric, and she does not deserve lenience. I agree with the state that there is a need to protect young innocent children from people like the convict. There are so many people out there who do the same to innocent children but go free.”
Although the magistrate acknowledged that Namwanje was a first-time offender and showed some remorse, he maintained that a lengthy prison sentence was essential as a deterrent.
“I think she deserves a second chance when she serves her sentence. I will therefore sentence her to 35 years’ imprisonment,” Natwijuka ruled, indicating that the jail term would act as a warning to others who might consider harming children.
The victim’s mother, Olivia Mbabazi, expressed her dissatisfaction with the sentence, arguing that it did not fully reflect the gravity of the crime.
“The offender needed to be given a death sentence,” Mbabazi said, voicing her frustration over what she saw as an insufficient punishment.