The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lira has sentenced a couple, Walter Otim and his wife, Collin Otim, to 10 and 3 years imprisonment respectively after being found guilty of forcing a 15-year-old girl to eat human faeces.
The convicts, residents of Ireda Lumumba Cell in Lira City East division, appeared before His Worship Joe Fay Adoko, the Chief Magistrate on Thursday afternoon. In his ruling Adoko described the offence as “serious and cruel,” noting that it caused lasting harm to the victim and violated both legal and moral standards.
He stated that the offence could attract a life sentence, and court considered several factors in sentencing, including the manner in which the offence was committed, the age of the victim, and the long term psychological impact.
His worship Adoko argued that the offence was a grave violation of the victim’s dignity and safety, noting that the incident shocked both the court and the community. He added that the convicts showed no remorse and that the abuse inflicted on the victim would likely affect her for the rest of her life.
The sentence, he said, should serve as a warning to others with similar intentions.
Otim was sentenced to 10 years in prison, however, after deducting time already spent on remand, he will spend 9 years, 11 months, and 16 days in prison, while Collin who was sentenced to 3 years will spend 2 years, 11 months, and 6 days.
Court further ordered each convict to pay a fine of 5 million shillings within three months.
Court heard that on June 27th, 2026, the teenager while at Ireda Lumumba Cell in Lira City East Division visited a salon for hair treatment. She reportedly requested to use the washroom and was directed behind the salon from where she encountered Collin Otim, who accused her of defecating near her home and immediately assaulted her using a wire.
Collin then called her husband, Otim, who rushed to the scene. It was further established in court that Otim forced the girl to eat human faeces while threatening to kill her.
While in court, prosecutors described the incident as extremely degrading and violent, stating that such conduct warranted a custodial sentence both as punishment and as a deterrent against similar acts in society.
