Nampiido primary school teacher arrested for allegedly defiling pupil

Police in Budaka district have launched investigations into a case of aggravated defilement involving a 30-year-old male teacher, Mr Eria Odongo of Nampiido Primary School.

The suspect, who is a resident of Tirinyi Central A Village, Tirinyi Sub-County, Kibuku District, was arrested over allegations of defiling a 16-year-old Primary Seven pupil of the same school.

ASP Wilfred Kyempasa, the Regional Police Spokesperson for Bukedi North, confirmed the arrest on Thursday, noting that the suspect is currently detained for an alleged aggravated defilement charge as more investigations continue.

According to reports, on March 17, 2026, at around 9:30 a.m., while the 16-year-old pupil was in class, the suspect instructed her to accompany him to the market.

Police report adds that the suspect later took the girl on a motorcycle to a hotel room in Budaka District, where he allegedly made inappropriate advances towards her.

"The victim reportedly raised an alarm when the teacher began touching her," he said.

Police said that responding to the alarm, residents intervened, and the teacher was arrested and taken to Budaka Central Police Station, where he remains in detention pending further investigations.

Mr Kyempasa urged parents, guardians, and the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to protect children from abuse.

Cases of child defilement in Uganda have taken a deeply disturbing turn, with parents, guardians, and teachers—people meant to protect and nurture—emerging among the top perpetrators, according to the Annual Crime Police report of 2024.

The figures reveal that at least 87 children were defiled by their biological parents, while 171 were abused by their guardians.

283 children were defiled by suspects who are HIV-positive, exposing victims to lifelong health complications and deep psychological trauma.

The report further points to growing abuse in schools, with 88 pupils defiled by their teachers and another 190 students sexually abused by teachers, raising fresh concerns about the safety of learners within institutions that should be safe havens.

The data also indicates that 97 children with disabilities were victims of defilement, while 11,401 cases were linked to other perpetrators within communities.

A total of 12,312 cases of defilement were reported to the police across the country in 2024, compared to 12,771 cases reported in 2023, showing a decrease of 3.4% in defilement cases registered countrywide.