Kabojja teacher pleads guilty to sexually abusing 11-year-old male pupil

Godfrey Muhumuza, a teacher at Kabojja Junior School, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after entering a plea bargain in which he admitted to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old male pupil.

The sentence was handed down by the court after Muhumuza voluntarily pleaded guilty, thereby avoiding a full trial.

In a signed plea agreement submitted to the court, Muhumuza stated:  “I…freely and voluntarily plead guilty to the charges…and agree to be sentenced to four years and six months of imprisonment…and declare that, prior to entering this plea bargain, I have had full opportunity to discuss the facts of my case…my constitutional rights, the waiver of those rights, and the consequences of my plea with my advocate.”

Buganda Road court, presided over by chief magistrate Ronald Kayizzi, accepted the plea and delivered the sentence, bringing closure to a case that had sparked serious concerns over learner safety and professional conduct within school environments.

Muhumuza was arraigned before Buganda Road court on May 10, 2025, on charges of attempted aggravated homosexuality, which were later amended to include an additional count of assault of a minor, in violation of Section 136 of the Penal Code Act.

According to the plea bargain agreement signed by Muhumuza, he was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for attempted aggravated defilement, and an additional three years for indecent assault of a minor, in violation of Section 136 of the Penal Code Act.

However, both sentences will be served concurrently. Without the plea deal, a conviction on each count could have attracted a sentence ranging between two to fourteen years, with the potential of facing up to 28 years in prison if the sentences were handed down consecutively.

The plea bargain was reached based on nine aggravating factors, including the breach of trust and abuse of authority. As a teacher, Muhumuza was in a position of trust and authority over the victim, who, like all pupils, was inherently vulnerable. The abuse of this professional relationship was described as a severe violation of that trust.

“As a teacher, the accused was in a position of trust and authority over the victim. Pupils are inherently vulnerable to their teachers, and the abuse of this professional relationship constitutes a severe breach of trust,” the plea document reads in part.

The agreement also highlighted that Muhumuza breached his duty of care as a teacher, undermining public confidence in the teaching profession and the broader education system.

It was also observed that the offences were premeditated, with the accused deliberately isolating the victim and repeatedly assaulting him. In one instance, the assault occurred in the presence of another pupil, a friend of the victim, which raised concerns about the ripple effect on other learners.

Despite these serious aggravating factors, the plea bargain also acknowledged mitigating circumstances, including Muhumuza being a first-time offender, showing remorse, pleading guilty (which saved court time), and being the sole breadwinner whose career has now been severely impacted.

Available court documents allege that Muhumuza coerced the boy into inappropriate contact, like making the child touch his genitals and attempting further sexual acts during a school trip on May 4 and 5, 2025.

Records show that the child alerted his mother via WhatsApp, prompting a police report and subsequent arrest. Although police records contained a confession from the suspect, Muhumuza initially denied the allegations during his first court appearance.

He later attempted to secure bail with the help of a woman presented as his surety, Regina Nakintu, a retail shopkeeper from Mirembe Road in Makindye Luwafu, who claimed that Muhumuza was her biological brother. However, this claim was proven false.

The magistrate, suspicious of the assertion, instructed both Muhumuza and Nakintu to write down their parents’ names. The conflicting information they provided caused amusement in the courtroom, prompting laughter from those present.

At a subsequent hearing, Muhumuza agreed to enter into a plea bargain, whereby an accused person, through legal representation, admits guilt to a criminal charge in exchange for a reduced sentence, thereby avoiding a full trial.

Last week, Sarah Opendi, Woman MP for Tororo, called for public support to establish a public sexual offenders registry. She argued that such a registry would help ensure that offenders are easily identified when seeking employment or moving into new neighbourhoods, thereby enhancing community safety and accountability.

Incidents involving teachers, who are entrusted with the safety and well-being of children, engaging in sexual abuse have become increasingly common. While most reported cases involve male teachers abusing female pupils, there are also growing reports of male teachers sexually assaulting male pupils.

A similar case was reported in Lira district in April. According to the Uganda Police’s 2024 Annual Crime Report, over 12,000 cases of child defilement were recorded in 2023, with boys accounting for around 309 of those.

Teachers were among the leading perpetrators after parents and guardians. Meanwhile, in the broader social context, recent reports and public discourse have raised concerns about the alleged promotion of sex deviant activities in schools by both teachers and students.

In recent years, the matter sparked heated debate in parliament, with lawmakers ordering an official probe into the extent and influence of such claims within the education system. Historical accounts also suggest that cases of same-sex abuse by teachers are not a new phenomenon in Uganda.

Researcher, Carol Summers highlighted this issue in her paper titled “Subterranean Evil and Tumultuous Riot in Buganda: Authority and Alienation at King’s College, Budo, 1942.”  In it, the researcher described reported patterns of sexual exploitation in the elite school, including the exchange of sexual favours for gifts and privileges, underscoring long-standing concerns about power, abuse, and institutional silence in educational settings.

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