Retired soldier jailed 45 years for defiling teenager

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The High Court in Arua has sentenced a retired Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) officer to 45 years in prison for defiling a 13-year-old girl.

On March 9, 2026, Andrew Anguzu was convicted and sentenced by the court presided over by Justice Vincent Wagona after he was found guilty of the offence.

Court heard that Anguzu went to the home where the girl was staying with her aunt and deceived her that her grandmother wanted to see her. Trusting him as an elder, the child agreed to accompany him.

However, instead of taking her to her grandmother, Anguzu led the girl to his home, where he closed the door and forcibly sexually assaulted her, leaving her with severe injuries.

After the incident, the court was told, Anguzu abandoned the child, forcing her to walk back to her aunt’s home alone. The victim is a grandchild of Anguzu’s wife.

The offence was further aggravated by the fact that Anguzu knew he was HIV-positive at the time of the attack. However, medical examinations later confirmed that the child did not contract the virus.

Evidence presented in court by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) showed that Anguzu served in the UPDF until 2017. After leaving the army, he returned to his village and later married the victim’s grandmother, placing him within the girl’s extended family.

The prosecution was led by Chief State Attorney Richard Muhereza, who is also the ODPP regional officer for Arua.

During the trial, the prosecution presented medical evidence and witness testimony that helped reconstruct the events leading to the offence.

In a noble affirmation of the rule of law and the protection of children, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully prosecuted the case.

According to the ODPP, the judgment delivered by the judge resulted from a carefully investigated and professionally prosecuted case that shows the decisive role of investigation and prosecution in advancing criminal justice and protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

The ODPP says what should have been a position of guardianship instead became an opportunity for a calculated betrayal of trust.

It says behind this conviction lies the meticulous work of investigators who promptly documented the crime, secured medical evidence, and gathered witness testimony that reconstructed the events leading to the offence.

Through rigorous case preparation, sound legal strategy, and effective presentation of evidence, the prosecution ensured that the court fully appreciated the gravity of the offence, the abuse of familial trust, and the reckless exposure of a child to a life-threatening disease.

In fulfilling its constitutional mandate, the ODPP continues to play a central role in upholding the rule of law, protecting vulnerable victims, and ensuring that those who commit serious crimes are brought to justice.

After evaluating the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the offence, the High Court convicted AA and imposed a 45-year custodial sentence.

It is clear from the sentence meted by Court that sexual violence against children will attract severe consequences, and that the criminal justice system will not hesitate to hold offenders accountable.