Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) is investigating a case of child kidnap, torture and abuse by a former Kampala Capital city authority employee, a one Hilda Kabenge.
The case has been drawn to the attention of Deputy IGP, Brig. Mzee Sabiiti and Commissioner for Family and Child Protect Marion Kutusa who have called for a swift investigation.
The distressed mother of the child alerted Police of the disappearance after she was tipped by neighbours and family friends. The missing girl is a student of Nabisunsa Girls in Kampala.
Ashra Senyonga who is out of the country in US has written a passionate appeal to the authorities after reports that Hilda Kabenga took a 15 year old girl from her home in Namugongo to a place that has been not been known for over two weeks. To ensure people did not find out about the torture.
Senyonga accuses the two of torturing and mistreating her stepchildren with the help of their father, a KCCA Engineer, a one Dr James Semuwemba.
In a letter to Police authorities, the children’s mother Senyonga said she had received concerns from friends and neighbours that the children were being mistreated.
Three weeks ago, Kabenge kidnapped a 15 year old girl from Kampala and took her to parents home Kabulasoke, Gomba district without the girls consent. She dumped her there and concerned families took the girl to Bukanula Police Station after the young girl said she had been kidnapped.
We have established that on 30 June, Kabenge’s family fearing that they would be held responsible took the girl to Bakanula Police Post. The Police handed over the girl to Hilda Kabenge and she took her to an unknown place.
The girl isn’t home and the mother said she could not be traced.
In a statement to Police, Ms Senyonga says: “Three weeks ago, my former husband found the eldest child who is 15 years with a phone and beat her together with Kabenge until the girl became unconscious.
They rushed her to hospital and when she was recovering, Kabenge kidnapped her and took her to the village so that their torture would not be exposed,” she says in the statement.
The statement further states that worried neighbours informed her sister who reported the matter to Police but no action was taken.
“We are aware that he took the girl for treatment after that torture. Right now, he has hidden her, and no one knows where he has taken her. She is not home. We are worried for the worst because of the torture that she endured.
Neighbours said he beat her so badly and that’s why she had to be taken away to avoid Police and people finding out what he had done. I have been told by my sister that two weeks ago, the eldest child was kidnapped and taken to Gomba to live with the woman’s relatives in the village against her will because they wanted her to recover from the beating without anyone knowing the truth.
An interview with the girl can confirm these events and the amount of torture they have endured,” Ssenyonga said in her statement to Police.
Senyonga divorced Semuwemba in 2016 citing domestic violence. After the bitter divorce the former wife says Semuwemba with his mistress Kabenge took to torturing his own children.
The case was reported to Kireka police but no help was offered until the matter has been escalated to top Police bosses. The OC Kauma Zaina on this number-+256 705 170977 refused to investigate or give a reference number. She was compromised and has refused to investigate the alleged child abuse because she got influenced by my ex-husband.
In 2018, another child abuse case involving Ssemuwemba was reported at Kireka Police Post, Ref. No. 47/17/12/2018 but the junior officers were intimidated and bribed
“My ex husband is a senior officer in KCCA. Every police I try to seek help about this torture has been compromised and that’s why I am appealing to you. My former husband has a history of child abuse, in 2017 he deliberately abandoned one of kids at school, the Red Pepper reported the case after the boy was taken to a Police station.
My husband can be reached on this number-+256 777 239418.
The woman wants Police to intervene and stop this torture before something more serious happens to the children.
“Please kindly intervene and compel the gentleman to show evidence that my daughter is alive and also commit that he will not physically torture the children with impunity,” she says.
