The High Court has been informed that a Portuguese National Carlos Alberto De Almesia E Costa who is facing charges of aggravated child trafficking following allegations of marrying off an underage child has not yet paid a compensation of 30 million shillings for the victim’s family.
According to the prosecution, it is alleged that between April 2020 and May 2020, at Busibante Zone in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, Carlos received and harbored a sixteen-year-old primary six pupil of Kira Primary School. The prosecution claims that this was done by exploiting the victim’s vulnerable position or through the exchange of payments or benefits to the victim’s parents to gain their consent to sexually exploit the victim with whom they stayed together in Ntinda before shifting to Najjera.
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Thursday told the High Court International Crimes Division Judge Dr Andrew Bashaija that they have not yet concluded their plea bargain agreement in this case. According to State Attorney Marion Ben Bella, although the negotiations are complete, there are some conditions that were supposed to be fulfilled by the accused person Carlos for which he hasn’t.
She said one of them was to deposit with the Deputy Registrar a sum of money in compensation for the victim worth 30 million shillings, but the accused has not yet complied with this term of negotiation.
Marion added that she was accordingly instructed to ask for an adjournment and further remand of the accused person until he complies with the terms and negotiations from the plea bargain.
The case was then adjourned to March 27th 2024 to conclude the payments.
