Portuguese national sentenced to four years for aggravated trafficking of minor

Summary:

• A Portuguese national, Carlos Alberto De Almeida, has been sentenced to four years in prison for trafficking a minor and obstructing justice. He must also compensate his victim. Despite pleading guilty, he cited mitigating factors including remorse and health issues.

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The court has handed a four-year prison sentence to a Portuguese citizen for aggravated trafficking of a minor and obstructing trafficking in persons. Carlos Alberto De Almeida, aged 60, was also instructed to compensate his victim with Shs30 million after admitting guilt to both charges through a plea bargain with the state. Justice Andrew Bashaijja, presiding over the International Crimes Division of the High Court, convicted Alberto based on his guilty plea.

“You are hereby sentenced to four years as per your agreement with the prosecution, with the time spent on remand deducted. The convict will serve any remaining term starting today and upon completion, will be deported from this country,” declared the judge.

Prosecutor Joseph Kyomuhendo informed the court that the Shs30 million compensation had already been deposited with the court’s registrar as per the agreement.

Under the plea bargain, the state cited three aggravating factors: the significant age difference between the convict and the victim, abuse of power, and the severity of the offense, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

In his defense, Carlos cited mitigating factors including pleading guilty, expressing remorse, his advanced age, familial responsibilities in Portugal, and his struggle with prostate cancer.

Background details revealed that between April and May 2020, Alberto received and harbored a minor in Busibante Zone, Kira Division, Wakiso District, exploiting her vulnerability to sexually exploit her.

Court documents outlined Carlos’s arrival in Uganda in August 2019, initially residing in Ntinda before moving to Najjera in April 2020. There, he rented an apartment after separating from his girlfriend. He became acquainted with the victim’s family, who operated a roadside tea stall, eventually gaining access to the victim and engaging in inappropriate behavior with her while the family slept.

Despite the victim’s sister noticing and attempting to intervene, Carlos continued to exploit the victim, even after the family moved to a larger residence. The victim’s father was aware of the situation but remained silent, enabling further abuse.

Carlos, dissatisfied with the living arrangements, persuaded the family to move to a larger house, where he continued his inappropriate behavior, ultimately leading to his arrest and subsequent conviction.

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