A Ntungamo man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for repeatedly defiling his own seven-year-old daughter.
Wellen Kukundakwe, a 45-year-old metal fabricator at Rwamabondo trading centre, was convicted of aggravated defilement and handed the lengthy sentence by High Court judge Lawrence Tweyanze Karikwisya on May 11, 2026.
The offences took place in November 2022, when the girl’s mother had left the family home following a domestic dispute, leaving the child in her father’s care. The victim, who is now 10 years old, told the court that Kukundakwe called her to his bed on multiple occasions and defiled her up to 10 times.
The young girl eventually opened up to a neighbour, identified as Tumwesigye, who took her to the police and arranged for medical examination. Kukundakwe was arrested shortly afterwards.
While delivering the sentence, Justice Tweyanze expressed strong disapproval of the crime, describing it as a serious betrayal of parental trust.
“What he did can only be done by an animal, not a human being,” the judge said. “If he could do this to his own daughter, not once but 10 times, what about others?”
The defence had asked for a lighter sentence, citing the time Kukundakwe had already spent on remand and the fact that he is a father to other children. However, the judge ruled that the aggravating factors far outweighed any mitigation.
After deducting the roughly three years he spent in custody awaiting trial, Kukundakwe will serve an effective term of 46 years, three months and 20 days.
The case adds to ongoing concerns about defilement incidents in Uganda, particularly those involving close family members. Such crimes often surface when mothers leave children behind during domestic conflicts, leaving them exposed to abuse.
