Masaka, Uganda — The High Court in Masaka has sentenced 78-year-old witchdoctor Kassim Katongole to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing his 13-year-old daughter.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Victoria Nakintu during a special session targeting sexual and gender-based violence.
Katongole, a resident of Lwamagwa in Rakai District, was found guilty of defilement and of treating his daughter as his wife in 2020. The case has attracted widespread attention due to Katongole’s status as a traditional healer in the community.
“Harmful cultural practices often contribute to these offenses, and some perpetrators do not realize they are committing a crime,” Justice Nakintu noted, highlighting the societal challenges behind such cases.
In a separate case handled during the same session, Bonny Bukenya pleaded guilty to defiling his 14-year-old stepdaughter and infecting her with HIV. Prosecutors reported that the abuse began after Bukenya married the girl’s mother and was only discovered when the child was sent to her grandmother, who noticed her HIV infection.
Both cases were supported by Okoa Children and Women’s Rights Organization, which advocates for the protection of abused children and women in Uganda.
Justice Nakintu urged parents, communities, and authorities to work together to safeguard children from abuse and to challenge harmful cultural practices that endanger their well-being.
