Court Upholds 32-Year Sentence for Defiling Infant

A man convicted of aggravated defilement of an eight-month-old baby will spend over three decades in prison, as the Court of Appeal has upheld his sentence.

Siraji Masolo was originally sentenced by the High Court to 32 years and five months for sexually assaulting the infant in Madenge Forest, Mbale District, between April 10 and April 17, 2015. The child was the daughter of his former lover.

Masolo appealed the sentence, arguing it was excessively harsh. His lawyers pointed to the time he had already spent on remand and suggested shorter sentences in similar past cases. However, the appellate court, comprised of Justices Hellen Obura, Eva Luswata, and Florence Nakachwa, dismissed his appeal.

The court found that the High Court judge had properly considered both aggravating factors, such as the victim’s extreme youth and the offender’s previous connection to the child, and mitigating factors, like time spent on remand.

Evidence presented during the trial included medical reports detailing severe injuries to the infant, consistent with sexual assault. A blood-stained mattress and cloth were recovered from the forest where Masolo had allegedly kept the child for seven days before she was discovered by a witness.

The Court of Appeal emphasized that sentences are only overturned if the trial court acted on wrong principles or ignored crucial evidence. In this case, the justices concluded that the original sentence was in line with sentencing guidelines and punishments in comparable aggravated defilement cases, some of which resulted in life imprisonment.

As a result, Masolo’s appeal was dismissed for lacking merit, and his 32-year prison sentence stands. Article reported by the Daily Monitor.