Court of Appeal upholds 32-year sentence for defiling infant

The Court of Appeal has dismissed Siraj Masolo’s appeal, upholding his 32-year prison sentence for the aggravated defilement of an eight-month-old baby. The conviction stems from an incident in 2015 where Masolo abducted the infant from her mother and took her into Madenge Forest.

Justices Hellen Obura, Eva Luswata, and Florence Nakacwa found that the High Court had adequately considered witness testimonies and medical evidence, which confirmed the baby suffered serious injuries consistent with sexual assault. The appellate court agreed with the trial judge’s decision to impose a 32-year sentence, noting it was lawful and appropriate, balancing the severity of the crime with the potential for reform.

Masolo had argued that his sentence was excessively harsh. The High Court, in sentencing Masolo in 2018, had taken into account the three years and seven months he had already spent on remand, reducing the sentence from an initial calculation of 35 years. The trial judge had also considered Masolo’s age and the possibility of rehabilitation.

Evidence presented at the trial indicated that Masolo took the infant, promising to return her after the mother provided bananas, but instead disappeared with her. A witness eventually found both in the forest, leading to Masolo’s apprehension by residents. The infant was rescued in critical condition, and forensic evidence, including a blood-stained mattress, was recovered from the forest.