The Luwero Police have arrested a school director on charges of sexually assaulting six underage students.

Jonah Ssebamanya, the director of Kings Palace Primary School in Kakookolo zone, Luwero town council, is also a health worker at Katuugo Health Center III in Luwero sub-county. He is also accused of impregnating and procuring an abortion for one of the defiled girls at the school.

Savannah Regional police spokesperson, Sam Twiineamazima says that Ssebamanya was arrested after police got complaints that between October and September this year, he had defiled six pupils aged between 13 and 17 years – all in primary seven. Twiineamazima says that upon tracing the victims and conducting a medical examination on them, three out of the six pupils were found to have been sexually abused.

Twiineamazima adds that the victims, parents, and the suspect have since recorded statements at Luwero Central police to aid investigations into the matter. Nsubuga Emmanuel, Kakookolo parish councilor says that Ssebamanya has allegedly been picking up the pupils from the school dormitory and taking them to sleep at his home located at Kikubajinja zone where he allegedly defiled them at night.

Luwero district probation officer, Joyce Namigadde says that one of the victims told her office that upon Ssebamanya learning that she had got pregnant after defilement, he “helped” her to procure an abortion. Namigadde says that police officers actually found the girl still on treatment after procuring an abortion with the help of the suspect.

“We also found that the pupils had been registered to sit exams at another school which had the Uneb [Uganda National Examinations Board] centre,” Namigadde said.

“We have counseled the pupils, and now working with the education department to ensure the victims sit the examinations next week at the registered school despite the arrest of their school director,’’ added Namigadde.

However, Ssebamanya denies defiling the pupils, insisting that the allegations are motivated by his business rivals. It’s reported that Ssebamanya collapsed after he was detained at Luwero Central police station and officers were forced to rush him to Luwero hospital for treatment on Saturday.

Ssebamanya was later transferred back to police cells to await the state attorney to sanction charges of aggravated defilement and appear before the court.

Luwero district is battling an increase in cases of defilement both in schools and communities. Recently, Shadrack Kabugo a teacher at Rapha primary school in Luwero town was also arrested and remanded in prison over allegations that he defiled his pupil aged 13. Kabugo was henceforth remanded till November 22 when he will return to Luwero Magistrate’s court for mention of the aggravated case against him.

About two weeks ago, police in Luwero also arrested Sulaiman Kizito aged 56, a resident of Kasenene village in Katikamu sub-county for allegedly defiling a stepdaughter and grandchild while his wife was away at the hospital. The two children were rescued by the district probation office and transferred to the childcare centre for counselling and treatment.

According to the police crime report, a total of 166 cases of defilement were reported to police in 2022 – of which 68 cases were classified as aggravated and the district ranked in the second position with the highest number of cases.