Shocking!! Blind Man Who Appeared On SB4 Interview Sentenced For Raping A 15 Year Old Maid

A 44-year-old visually impaired man has been sentenced to seven years in prison after a court in Mukono District found him guilty of raping a 15-year-old girl he had earlier recruited as a domestic helper.

The convict, Ivan Birungi, received the sentence from Paul Matyama, the presiding judge at the Mukono District Court, after being convicted for offences committed in February last year.

Court proceedings revealed that Birungi had initially recruited the teenage girl from her village to assist him with household chores and help guide him during his daily movements as he sought assistance from members of the public due to his blindness.

According to evidence presented before the court, the girl had been convinced to travel to the city after communicating with Birungi over the phone while she was still in the village. During the trial, it emerged that Birungi allegedly disguised his identity during those conversations.

The court heard that Birungi reportedly spoke in a female voice during the phone calls, which led the teenager to believe she would be working for a woman once she arrived in Kampala. This misrepresentation played a significant role in persuading the girl to accept the job offer and relocate from her village.

Once she arrived, the situation reportedly changed, eventually leading to the offence that formed the basis of the criminal charges against Birungi.

The prosecution, led by Josephine Nanyonga, asked the court to impose a tougher punishment, arguing that the gravity of the offence warranted a lengthy custodial sentence.

The state prosecutor urged the court to sentence Birungi to 14 years in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime and the need to protect minors from sexual abuse.

However, while delivering the ruling, His Worship Matyama said the court carefully considered several mitigating circumstances before determining the final sentence.

The judge explained that the court took into account Birungi’s age, his blindness, and the fact that he was a first-time offender with no previous criminal record.

After evaluating all the evidence and submissions from both the prosecution and defence, the court decided to sentence Birungi to seven years in prison.

The judge further ruled that the 12 days Birungi had already spent on remand would be deducted from the sentence. This means the convict will effectively serve six years, eleven months, and eighteen days in prison.

During the sentencing hearing, Birungi asked the court for forgiveness. He claimed that due to his blindness, he could not determine the girl’s age.

Despite the plea for leniency, the court maintained that the offence was grave and deserved a custodial sentence.

In concluding the proceedings, the presiding officer, Matyama, informed Birungi that he has the right to appeal the sentence if he is dissatisfied with the decision.