Kabojja Junior teacher remanded over sexually abusing 11-year-old boy

A teacher at Kabojja Junior School has been remanded to Luzira Prison after being charged with attempted homosexuality involving an 11-year-old boy.

Godfrey Muwumuza, 43, appeared before Buganda Road court on Friday, where he was charged under Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023. The charge stems from allegations that he sexually abused the boy during a school trip on May 4 and 5.

The teacher is accused of making the child touch his genitals and attempting further acts while in transit. According to court files, the child alerted his mother via WhatsApp, prompting a police report and subsequent arrest.

“…another pupil came and he let the victim go. He did the same while on the bus as he sat next to the boy and kept on dragging the boy’s hand and could make the boy touch his P…” The record read in part.

Although police records reportedly contain a confession from the suspect, Muwumuza denied the allegations when he appeared in court. Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi advised him to apply for bail and ordered his remand to Luzira Prison until May 19, pending the completion of investigations.

The Anti-Homosexuality Act prescribes the death penalty for cases of “aggravated homosexuality,” particularly where the act involves minors, persons with disabilities, or situations where drugs or alcohol may have impaired a person’s judgment.

Attempting to commit any offence outlined in the Act is also criminalised and, upon conviction, carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. However, such cases remain highly sensitive, as some suspects have previously been falsely accused.

To address this, the Anti-Homosexuality Act includes a provision criminalising false accusations. Under the law, anyone who falsely accuses another of an offence under the Act commits a crime and, upon conviction, is liable to up to one year in prison.

An allegation is considered false if, during investigation or prosecution, it is proven that the act did not occur or that the report was made with malicious intent. 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.