A young boy of 12 years old is receiving treatment at Comboni Hospital, which is located in Kyamuhunga Sub County, situated in Bushenyi District. The boy was reportedly a victim of sodomy which was carried out by a 22-year-old acquaintance.
This arrest is indicative of the ongoing persecution that LGBT individuals face in Uganda, where homosexuality is criminalized and communities have incredibly negative attitudes towards them.
Mr Marcial Tumusiime, the greater Bushenyi police spokesperson said the suspect is a casual labourer at Nyabwirima cell, Bitooma town council in Bushenyi District.
“On May 28, 2023, the victim disappeared from home and came back in the evening. He did the same on May 29 and surfaced on June 01 when he was not walking well. When asked by her guardian Ms Edinah Ayebazibwe the victim told her that since the time he escaped from home, the suspect took him to his house locked him up and would tell him to bend and he would use his anus,” he explained.
The arrest of the 22-year-old man highlights the aggressiveness with which Ugandan authorities pursue and prosecute individuals suspected of homosexuality. It is unclear what exact charges the man will face, but, if convicted, he could be looking at a lengthy sentence. Uganda’s laws regarding homosexuality and the persecution of LGBT individuals have been met with international criticism, with human rights groups calling for the immediate decriminalization of the practice.
Beyond the legal implications, however, the persecution of LGBT individuals in Uganda represents a clear violation of human rights. LGBT individuals in the country are often subjected to violence, discrimination, and harassment, with little to no support from the government. Activists and advocacy groups in Uganda have been working tirelessly to change this, but progress has been slow.
Diagnosis from Comboni Hospital shows lacerations/bruises inside the rectum of the anus.
Ms Ayebazibwe said the victim was a good friend to the accused and by the time of the incident they were together harvesting beans.
“After noticing changes in his usual walking style, I got concerned and asked him what had happened. Because of pain he told me everything and I reported it to the police leading to the suspect’s arrest,” she said.
The incident follows the arrest of other two people in the area over the same offences. The duo including a former catechist were arrested on allegations of aggravated human trafficking and sodomising a 20-year-old man.
