Kabale Police has arrested and released a couple accused of child abuse and torture. The suspects are Mohamed Karenzi and his wife Janet Karenzi both residents of Lower Bugongi in Northern Division in Kabale Municipality. The couple was picked up on Tuesday evening after their children 12 year-old Suleiman Sebagala and 10-year-old Idris Masembe were found with fresh wounds on their chest, buttocks and thighs. The two siblings were intercepted by residents of Kaharo Sub County in Kabale while walking to Kampala-420 kilometers away to find their biological mother.
The minors told residents that they were fleeing from their torture by their step mother Janet Karenzi and their father. As a result, the residents who were concerned about the plight of the children took back and handed them over to Kabale Police Station leading to the arrest of the couple. Narrating their ordeal, the minors told URN that their step mother has been tying them with poltyhen bags and then touch it with a match box to punish them.
They also accused their father of torturing them and ordering his wife to deny them food on various occasions saying they were useless like their mother, who left for Kampala. Mohamed Karenzi admitted burning the children with plastic materials together with his wife whenever they committed a mistake. Janet Karenzi says that she punished the children on the orders of their father. She explained that her husband told her that when she pours cold water mixed with salt on the children they would feel pain and stop misbehaving.
Karenzi also told police that she would deny the children food for over two weeks, because their father repeatedly said they were not contributing anything to the family. Elly Maate the south –south western regional police spokesperson says that they cautioned the parents and ordered them to treat the children. He says that they will monitor the family to ensure that the children are looked after well.
//Cue in: “when you look……………..
Cue out:……..denying them food;”//
