By The Insight Post Uganda
Mukono-Uganda
The release of Moses Kasiita on police bond has sparked protests in Uganda. Kasiita, a resident of Ntaawo village in Mukono Municipality, was arrested on April 22 on accusations of having carnal knowledge with a fellow man.
He had been in police custody for 13 days without arraignment before courts of law for his alleged crimes.
According to the victim- Isma Kaweesa,25, a resident of Ntawo, Kasiita drugged him before sexually assaulting him. He woke up naked and in pain.
A medical examination at Mukono General Hospital confirmed that Kaweesi had been sexually assaulted.
Kasiita’s release has raised concerns about justice and the handling of cases involving homosexuality in Uganda.
The country’s laws criminalise homosexuality and other acts against the order of nature. This has created a difficult environment for members of the LGBTQ+ community, who face discrimination, harassment, and violence.
Recently, the Ugandan legislative assembly approved the ‘Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023’ for the second time this year.
The bill criminalises homosexuality and is awaiting the president’s signature to become law, further exacerbating the situation for LGBTQ+ individuals in the country.
Following a heated argument with his wife, Kaweesa sought refuge at Kasiita’s home, whom he regarded as a friend and a father figure. One evening, they went to a bar and had a few beers before returning home to retire for a night.
Kaweesa had initially planned on sleeping on the couch, but Kasiita insisted that he joined him in his bed since he was a guest. Before getting into bed, Kasiita offered Kaweesa a glass of juice and a banana to eat.
However, after consuming them, Kaweesa lost consciousness and only regained it at 5am.
“I went to bed wearing my pants as usual, but when I woke up, I found myself completely naked and in excruciating pain. I could not control the faeces,” Kaweesa explains.
All this went on while Kasiita kept on asking what had gone wrong. He went to Mukono General Hospital where the problem was established. He had been sodomised by the man he trusted.
Kaweesa’s frustration grew when the investigating officer, Goret Nantaba informed him that the state attorney recommended a visit to the scene of the crime, but they lacked transportation.
“While I am willing to provide transport, I am also concerned that the case may not be pursued properly, and justice may not be served. It is disheartening to think that such a heinous crime could potentially be swept under the rug, Now the suspected is released before police visiting the crime scene.” Kaweesa recounts.
According to the medical document obtained by this website, the doctor prescribed post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for the victim since Kasiita’s HIV status was unknown.
We have been unable to verify the status of the ongoing investigations as our attempts to obtain an official statement from the police have been unsuccessful.
The victim and other residents have demanded that Kasiita be re-arrested and brought to court for his crime. Kasiita could not be reached for comment as his known contact was unavailable at the time of the press.
It is important to note that under Ugandan law, homosexuality and other activities deemed to be against the order of nature are considered criminal offences.
The country’s legislative assembly has recently approved the “Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023” for the second time this year. This bill seeks to criminalize acts of homosexuality and other activities that go against the order of nature.
However, it is still pending the signature of the president before it becomes a fully-fledged law.
A similar incident occurred on 26 January 2011 in Mukono when David Kato, a prominent LGBTQ+ activist was killed on allegations of sodomising a young man.
While human rights activists maintain that Kato’s death was unjust and motivated by hate, the police assert that the killing of Kato was an act of self-defence, as the young man allegedly used a blunt object to strike him on the head.
END
English 