Child rapist in Muleba jailed for 30 years

KAGERA: A 18-year-old Verius Marco from Kiteme village in Muleba District has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl. The incident occurred on February 12th of this year.

Muleba District Magistrate Lilian Mwambeleko found Marco guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. In her ruling, she condemned the heinous act, emphasising that a severe sentence was necessary to deter others from committing similar crimes.

The conviction comes amidst growing concerns about the alarming rise in sexual violence against children in Tanzania. From January to September 30th this year, Kagera police reported a total of 533 cases related to gender-based violence.

Head of the Gender Desk at the Kagera Regional Police Station, Assistant Inspector of Police Suzan Kamwaga noted that approximately 230 of these cases were specifically related to rape.

“Tanzania has one of the youngest populations in the world and we are witnessing a troubling increase in genderbased violence. To tackle these challenges, we need concerted efforts from all stakeholders to address violence against children,” she said.

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Kamwaga urged families to take proactive steps to ensure the welfare of children, emphasising the importance of proper upbringing and education.

She pointed out that many children face neglect, leading to street begging, school dropouts and in some cases, sexual assault. Investigations revealed that a significant number of perpetrators are relatives or neighbours.

“Studies indicate that 60 per cent of violence against children occurs at home, often perpetrated by family members. The greatest challenge in addressing this issue is the silence surrounding it and the tendency to resolve cases privately within families,” she added.

Sexual violence inflicts severe physical, psychological and social harm on victims, increasing their risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as causing pain, illness, unwanted pregnancies, social isolation and psychological trauma.

Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that parties must take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect children from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, maltreatment, or exploitation, including sexual abuse.