Family loses hope as RSA closes alleged defilement case against Police boss

By Our Reporter 

ARUA. The family of a one year and nine months old child who was allegedly defiled by a 49-year-old police officer has lost hope of getting justice for their baby girl after Patrick Omia, the Senior Resident State Attorney (RSA) of Arua decided to close the case file.

IP Thomas Otim, the West Nile region Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU) boss was last week arrested for allegedly defiling the child on October 9, 2023.

Josephine Angucia, the North Western region Police Spokesperson earlier confirmed the arrest and said Otim was accused of aggravated defilement, an offense he allegedly committed in his house at Arua police barracks on Independence Day.

“It is true that Arua Central Business Division of police are investigating an allegation of aggravated defilement that occurred on October 9, 2023 at about midday at Arua police barracks in Arua city. According to the information we got, it is alleged that one police officer by the name of Otim Thomas called the victim to his room in the barracks and after some minutes, the victim went back to the mother crying that the suspect had done bad manners to her,” Angucia said shortly after Otim’s arrest last week.

But Otim was on Friday released on police bond and shortly thereafter, his file was returned from RSA with Omia’s instructions to set the suspect free.

Speaking to Journalists on Monday, Angucia said the case file has been closed because evidence to support aggravated defile has not been enough, according to Arua RSA.

“So, he advised police to close the file and put it aside pending any other eventuality. The suspect has been set free, his bond was cancelled and he has been set free until further notice,” Angucia said.

Reports indicate that the RSA argued that there was no eyewitness at the time of the alleged aggravated defilement and that the child of one year and nine months can’t be able to make a statement.

However, the decision taken by the RSA to close the file didn’t go well with the parents of the child who are now losing hope in getting justice.

“Stating that this suspect was not seen entering with the survivor in his bedroom should not really be used as an opportunity to defeat this case. The brothers of the survivors were in the sitting room watching TV when their sister was picked by the suspect, now the State went ahead to say nobody saw the suspect entering the house yet the mother heard the scream of the child which forced her to jump out to look where the daughter was and she was seen with the suspect,” Dr. Charles Madrama, the father of the child who doubles as the West Nile region Police Surgeon said.

“The decision the Senior RSA has taken to drop the charges for saying the evidence is not credible, I’m totally in disagreement because I’m the first respondent on the child’s injury. I examined this child and there was evident tear on the girl’s genital organ, but the RSA is saying my statement contradicts with the doctor who examined and filled this police form 3. I disagree with the statements of the Senior RSA that we have tramped up a charge against the suspect,” Madrama emphasized.

He said the learned man should have behaved like a parent to see the realities and the pain the mother of the child is going through.

“Even me as the father of the child because I’m suffering and this girl doesn’t know the reason why she is punished to take PEP but we want to make sure that the deadline of PEP continues being observed because at the end of it all if you don’t follow it up, then this child will suffer. The rest of her life she will be taking Antiretroviral therapy which is not in any way our intention to punish her. However, I’m still building up strength to see what step to take next,” Madrama painfully said.

Similarly, Racheal Nsiima, the mother of the child said she wanted justice for her daughter which unfortunately, has been denied by Patrick Omia, the Senior RSA Arua.

“I have not seen the justice I wanted for my child. Now the truth has turned out to be the lie. There is no justice, I really wanted justice but it is not there now. I have not seen it because of the decision taken by RSA to close my child’s file,” Nsiima said.

The child has been put on one-month-long post-exposure prophylaxis (HIV PEP) which is a short course of HIV medicines taken very soon after a possible exposure to HIV to prevent the virus from taking hold in one’s body.

According to an earlier police report, a medical examination indicated that something actually happened to the girl’s private parts and there was a scratch inside the private part of the girl (inside the vagina).