A 40-year-old landlord, Francis Wandera has been arrested in Jinja, eastern Uganda for allegedly repeatedly defiling his tenants’ daughters aged two and five.

Wandera allegedly repeatedly defiled the minors between October and November 2024. A medical report from the police clinic indicates that the toddlers sustained virginal tears, confirming forced penetration in their private parts.

The minors’ parents reportedly hawk clothing and other household items along Jinja city’s major streets at night, leaving their children under the watch of Wandera’s female companion.  

However, Wandera’s companion noticed suspicious activity and alerted the victim’s mother, who equally intimated how the children complained of pain in their private parts during bathing.

The children are currently admitted at an undisclosed medical facility, where explicit medical procedures are being conducted to minimize harm to their sensitive immature body parts. The mother says that she feels betrayed by a parental figure in the community, mandated with the sole responsibility of safeguarding the rights of all children irrespective of who they are.

The mother now wants timely justice for her children, arguing that, the same will serve as a lesson to other selfish-minded individuals, harbouring intentions of sexually assaulting minors and depriving them of their innocence. 

Kiira Region police spokesperson James Mubi confirmed the incident, adding that, the suspect’s mental state has been thoroughly examined to ascertain sanity before detaining him at Jinja Central police station, awaiting further prosecution.