By Executive Editor
In the year 2022, the Uganda Police Force – UPF – registered a total of 12,580 cases of Defilement cases, compared to 14,436 cases reported in 2021, giving a decrease by 12.8% in Defilement cases registered countrywide. Of the cases Defilement reported in 2022, 8,960 cases were Defilement while 3,620 cases were Aggravated Defilement.
Generally, in 2022, there was an 18% increase in the number of crimes reported to Police. 196,081 cases were reported in 2021 compared to 231,653 cases in 2022.
This was mainly due to the full opening of the economy after the Covid-19 lockdown and growing confidence to report crime to Police, Inspector General of Police –IGP – Martins Okoth Ochola told the media while launching the report last week.
Sex-related Crimes
In 2022, a total of 14,693 Sex-related cases representing 6.3% of the overall registered crimes in this category countrywide were reported to the Police compared to 16,373 cases reported in 2021 giving a decrease by 10.3%.
By the end of 2022, out of 14,693 Sex-related crimes reported to Police 5,461 cases were taken to Court, 942 cases were not proceeded with while 8,290 cases are still under inquiry. Out of the total cases taken to Court, 224 cases secured convictions, 01 case was acquitted, 05 cases were dismissed while 5,233 cases are still pending in Court. Out of 14,795 persons that were victims of Sex-related crimes, 12,816 were Female Juveniles, 33 were Male Juveniles while 1,946 were Female Adults. Comparison of Sex-related cases from 2020 to 2022.
However, there has been a general reduction in cases of Sex-related offences from 16,373 cases in 2021 to 14,693 cases in 2022.
This is attributed to uplifting of the Covid-19 lockdown that enabled the opening of the schools where majority of the students who are prone to Sex-related offences resumed with their normal school programmes.
General Defilement (Aggravated/Simple)
A total of 12,580 cases of Defilement were reported to Police in 2022, compared to 14,436 cases reported in 2021, giving a decrease by 12.8% in Defilement cases registered countrywide. Of the cases Defilement reported in 2022, 8,960 cases were Defilement while 3,620 cases were Aggravated Defilement.
Out of the Defilement cases reported in 2022, 4,725 cases were taken to Court, 817 cases were not proceeded with while 7,041 cases are still under inquiry. Out of the cases taken to Court, 205 cases secured convictions, 01 case was acquitted, 03 cases were dismissed and 4,515 cases are still pending in Court. A total of 4,843 suspects of Defilement were arrested and charged to Court, out of whom, 206 were convicted, 08 were discharged while 4,502 were still awaiting trial.
Victims of Defilement
The report shows that a total of 12,780 victims were defiled in 2022, of whom, 12,470 were Female Juveniles and 310 were Male Juveniles.
Victims of Defilement by Age Group
The category of 15 – 17years are mainly victims of Defilement due to Adolescent age where many young girls are taken advantage of, and some are defiled in the process of doing domestic chores like collecting water and firewood especially in the rural areas when they are sent alone. In total, 157 children were defiled by suspects who are HIV positive, followed by 81 children defiled by their guardians and 72 children defiled by biological parents among others.
Aggravated Defilement
By the end of 2022, a total of 3,620 cases of Aggravated Defilement were reported to Police compared to 3,783 cases reported in 2021, giving a 4.3% decrease.
Albertine region registered the highest number of cases of Aggravated Defilement (244 cases), followed by KMP North with 242 cases, Rwenzori West with 228 cases, KMP South with 221 cases.
Katwe Police Division registered the highest number of Aggravated Defilement cases in 2022 (83 cases), followed by Luwero with 68 cases, Mukono District with 66 cases, Yumbe and Kyegegwa with 54 cases each and Nansana with 53 cases.
Defilement
In 2022, a total of 8,960 cases of Defilement were reported to Police compared to 10,653 cases reported in 2021, giving a 15.9% decrease in the Defilement cases registered in 2022.
Elgon registered the highest number of cases of Defilement in 2022 (736 cases), followed by North Kyoga with 713 cases, East Kyoga with 665 cases, KMP North with 480 cases, Albertine with 478 cases, Busoga North with 430 cases and Busoga East with 424 cases.
Kamuli District registered the highest number of Defilement cases in 2022 (174 cases), followed by Kiryandongo District with 151 cases, Bududa with 142 cases, Katwe with 131 cases and Budaka with 130 cases.
