The International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala has confirmed charges of aggravated defilement and child trafficking against jailed Bukwo District LC5 Chairperson Julius Moses Chelimo.
The Court Presided over by Lady justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha on Monday confirmed three charges against him and referred his case file to a panel of three High Court Judges for trial after agreeing with the Prosecution’s evidence that it proved all the necessary ingredients for confirmation of aggravated defilement and child trafficking charges.
The Prosecution alleges that Chelimo was the LCV Chairman of Bukwo District while the Victim was a student of Senior Two at Sebei College Tegeres in Bukwo. The Prosecution states that the victim who then aged 15 years was living with her parents and in October 2021, and it is when Chelimo allegedly lured her into a love affair enticing her with money, clothes, and phones and often caused her disappearance from her parents and abandoning school as well.
The Court has heard that then on different occasions, Chelimo took the Victim to different places in Bukwo District from where he would have sexual intercourse with her.
The victim’s parents reported her disappearance to the Police and when she resurfaced, she revealed how Chelimo had been having sexual intercourse with her. Court has also heard that she also revealed how Chelimo at some point harboured her in Budaka at his sister’s home to hide her from her parents and he could not allow her to return to her parents. It was upon this background that he was arrested and charged accordingly.
Chelimo who has been in jail since 2022 denies the charges against him and maintains his innocence saying the charges were politically levied against him. The Electoral Commission still maintains that Chelimo is still the Lc5 Chairperson despite the charges and efforts by the Local Government ministry to replace him.
