LIRA, Uganda — A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lira has sentenced a couple to prison after convicting them of forcing a 15-year-old girl to eat human faeces in what the court described as a “cruel and degrading” act.
Chief Magistrate Joe Fay Adoko convicted Walter Otim, 42, and his wife, Collin Otim, over the incident, which occurred at their home in Ireda Lumumba Cell in Lira City in July 2025.
Court heard that the teenager had visited a nearby salon on July 29, 2025, to have her hair plaited before asking to use a toilet. She was reportedly directed to an area behind the salon, near the Otims’ residence.
According to the prosecution, the girl was intercepted by Collin Otim as she returned from the area and was allegedly forced back behind the building, where she was assaulted.
The court further heard that Walter Otim later joined his wife and threatened to kill the teenager if she refused to eat human faeces found at the scene. Fearing for her life, the girl complied.
In his ruling, Magistrate Adoko described the offence as grave and inhuman, noting that the law provides for a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for such acts.
“This offence attracts life imprisonment, but this court has taken into account factors such as the age of the convicts and whether they showed remorse,” Adoko ruled.
The prosecution had urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, arguing that the victim suffered humiliation, emotional distress and lasting psychological trauma.
Walter Otim was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Collin Otim received a three-year jail term.
The court also directed that the nine months both convicts had already spent on remand be deducted from their sentences.
Child protection concerns
The case has renewed concern among child rights advocates in Uganda over violence and degrading treatment involving minors.
Uganda’s Children Act and Penal Code criminalise acts that subject children to torture, humiliation or inhuman treatment.
Rights organisations have repeatedly called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws, particularly in cases involving domestic abuse and gender-based violence.
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According to child protection agencies, many abuse cases involving minors in Uganda remain underreported due to fear, intimidation and social stigma, especially in rural and low-income communities.
The judgment in Lira comes amid wider national discussions about child safety, mental health support for victims of abuse and accountability for acts considered degrading or in violation of human dignity.
Legal analysts say the ruling sends a strong signal that courts are increasingly willing to impose custodial sentences in severe child abuse cases involving humiliation and psychological harm.
