By Website Writer; The magistrates court in Kira has remanded to Luzira, an 18-year-old girl who was recently captured in a video beating and dragging a friend over a man.
In a video that went viral on social media, 15-year-old Nicole Pretty was captured being beaten, kicked and dragged by a group of three other people who accused her of falling in love and sleeping with the boyfriend to one of the suspects.
On Tuesday, Kaftah Queen, 18 and a student at Trinity College Nabweru but also resident of Katooke in Wakiso district was arraigned before the magistrates court in Kira and charged with aggravated torture contrary to section 2(1) (b) and 5(a) (h), (j) and (k) of the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act 2012.
“Kaftah Queen and others still at large on January 8, 2023, at Nsasa, Kira Municipality in Wakiso district inflicted injuries on Pretty Nicole Eseza a female juvenile aged 15 years causing her grievous harm after accusing her of being in love with her boyfriend Derrick Lwanga, “the grade one magistrate Esther Nyadoi read the charges.
The accused was however not allowed to take plea (accept or deny the charges) since the charges are only triable by the High Court and the prosecutor told court investigations are still ongoing.
She was remanded to Luzira until January 30.
Earlier, Kaftah broke down as she asked her friend for forgiveness for all that happened on the fateful day.
“All of us are not perfect and we make mistakes. If I still have a place in her (Nicole) heart, I am asking that she forgives me. We have been friends for a long time, and I want to say sorry to her,” a teary Kaftah said at court.
Life imprisonment
The charge of aggravated torture attracts a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
Section 2(1) (b) of the of the Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act 2012 defines torture in this case as any act or omission, by which severe pain or suffering whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of any person whether a public official or other person acting in an official or private capacity for such purposes as punishing that person for an act he or she or any other person has committed, or is suspected of having committed or of planning to commit.
The charge sheet says that Kaftah was punishing Nicole after accusing her of being in love with her boyfriend.
Section 5(a) (h), (j) and (k) of the same law says that where it is proved that at the time of, or immediately before, or immediately after the commission of torture the offender uses or threatens to use or used a deadly weapon, the victim was under the age of 18 years, the act of torture is recurring and the offender commits any act which court considers aggravating, the offender and any other person jointly connected with the commission of an act of torture is liable, on conviction to life imprisonment.
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