The Moroto Magistrates Court has sentenced a 46-year-old woman to four years in prison for performing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on four girls.
Maria Lokeris, a resident of Nakonyen Village, Katikekile parish, Tapac Sub County in Moroto region, was convicted.
After pleading guilty to the charge, she was sentenced by Moroto Chief Magistrate Emmy Soyeko on Friday, November 4, 2022.
The prosecution, lead by Moroto Resident State Attorney Innocent Obale, informed the court that Lokeris mutilated four females aged 13 to 15 on Thursday November 3rd, 2022, and was apprehended following a community tip off. She was immediately arraigned in court and punished.
Three of the victims are alleged to have fled to neighboring Kenya, while the fourth girl was rescued while bleeding profusely and in excruciating pain.
In his plea, Obale stated that FGM is an inhumane, brutal, and demeaning act against the dignity of women and asked the court to sentence the accused harshly in order to discourage other would-be offenders from committing the same crime.
Communities and authorities in Uganda have been on high alert as the year 2022 falls among the traditional cutting years.
Lokeris' conviction came eight years after the last conviction in Karamoja. The last FGM cutter was convicted in 2014.
According to the World Health Organization, FGM includes all non-medical operations that involve partial or entire removal of the female genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organs, as well as any hazardous procedure to the female genitalia.
Since 2009, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has been implementing the UN Joint Programme (UNFPA/UNICEF) on FGM focusing on development of a conducive legal and Policy framework, strengthening access to services by survivors, increasing awareness among communities on the dangers of FGM, and gathering evidence in form of data and case studies to facilitate advocacy interventions.
According to the Ministry of Gender, the prevalence of FGM reduced from 1.4 per cent in 2011 to 0.3 per cent 2016 at national level under this partnership.
However, prevalence within the practicing regions of Karamoja and Sebei is still on an average of 50 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.
In 2010, Uganda enacted a law criminalizing FGM although practicing communities prefer to conduct it in hard to reach and isolated areas while others crossover to Kenya where the law is still weak against the practice.
While addressing a cross-border meeting on FGM at Riwo Town Council in Bukwo district in October last year, the Minister of State for Gender and Cultural Affairs, Mutuuzo Peace Regis, called for extra vigilance during the planned cutting period and rallied the communities to identify and handover FGM perpetrators for prosecution.
The UN Joint Programme on FGM ended and negotiations are still on for another phase of implementation extending to 2030 so that the gains registered so far are consolidated.
Michael Longole the Karamoja regional police spokesperson said they will continue arresting and prosecuting the suspects found cutting women.
Moru Lokutai, a resident of Nakonyen, however appealed to government to support the FGM cutters with alternative income generating projects since they look up to the ritual for their livelihood.
