Three women have been sentenced to two months imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to using their children to beg on the streets of Kampala.
Ruth Aboka, Santa Anyango and Agnes Nakut were convicted by the City Hall Magistrate’s Court presided over by magistrate Jane Tibagonzeka on Friday.
The three are part of the 26 women who were last week remanded to Luzira Prison for using children to beg on streets which contravenes with the law.
While sentencing the three, magistrate Tibagonzeka said that their sentence was reduced from six months because they are first offenders and have young children to look after.
She however further remanded 23 of the suspects to Luzira Prison until September 2, 2022, after their case failed to take off due to language barrier.
Under the Kampala Capital City Child Protection Ordinance 2022, launched six months ago, it is a crime to send a child to beg or solicit for alms in a public place, street, building, office or any business or commercial establishment and no person should live off the proceeds of a child engaged in begging or soliciting for alms.
Anybody who contravenes with the law will be imprisoned for six months or pay a fine of two currency points (about shs 40,000). A currency point is equivalent to shs 20,000.
Those who have been further remanded include; Lojari Arorins, Agnes Acheing Maria Echoru, Angelina Lochoro, Veronica Ilukol, Maria Royitye, Anna Lakwera, Lucy Lokita, Jennifer Lokol and Agnes Ate.
Others are Esther Olele, Anna Ongole, Pauline Lochoro, Angelina Lemukol, Anna Oroben, Anna Anyalo, Esther Lukwa, Elizabeth Sagal, Sarah Naduk, Brenda Nakiru, Anna Nalukuden and Maria Longol.
The women were arrested on August 20, following a child rescue operation where 221 children were rescued from the streets and taken to Masulita Children’s Home for rehabilitation.
