Four defilement cases have been concluded by International Justice Mission, an international non- governmental organization focused on human rights and law enforcement that was founded in 1997 by lawyer Gary Haugen in Washington, D.C between January and April in Gulu.
Of the four defilement cases, three were concluded from the high court meanwhile one was concluded in the chief magistrates’ court.
Ruth Lawino, a lawyer working with IJM sometimes cases take long in court because of limited resources in the justice system.
Lawino laments that it is very common for victims to report and then later change their minds.
Lawino says when writing additional statements for the release of the suspects or disappearing when they are needed to give evidence.
All the victims in the four cases were female.
According to the Uganda police crime report for 2025, there was a reduction in defilement by 14.8% compared to 2024 but the vice still remains prevalent.
By Rebecca Ekwany
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