By Elizabeth Ankunda
21st March 2024
A Portuguese national Carlos Alberto De Almesia E Costa who is facing charges of aggravated child trafficking has not yet paid compensation of 30 million shillings to the victim’s family.
He was dragged to court for marrying off an underage child.
On Thursday, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions- DPP told the High Court International Crimes Division Judge Dr Andrew Bashaija that they have not yet concluded their plea bargain agreement in this case.
According to State Attorney Marion Ben Bella, although the negotiations are complete, some conditions were supposed to be fulfilled by Costa which he hasn’t.
She said one of them was to deposit with the Deputy Registrar 30 million shillings.
She added that she was instructed to ask for an adjournment and further remand the accused until he complies with the terms and negotiations from the plea bargain.
The suspect’s lawyer Daniel Angualia informed the Court that they received evidence that money had been deposited in their account but they have not yet received it.
He asked for a shorter adjournment to enable them to fulfill the agreement.
While in Court, Costa complained to the Judge that journalists took pictures of him when he was standing with terrorism suspects and he is being portrayed as a terrorism suspect.
Costa said he is facing difficulties in prison and requested that court orders that he should be remanded to the Internal Affairs Ministry for his safety.
In his brief ruling, Justice Bashaija informed Costa that he doesn’t have the power to remand him to Internal Affairs custody adding that if he is being harassed by other inmates, the Officer in Charge of Prison should look into his concerns.
The case was then adjourned to March 27th 2024 to conclude the payments.
In December 2023, Justice Richard Wejuli Wabwire confirmed two charges of aggravating child trafficking and sexual exploitation against Costa after finding that the evidence brought by the Prosecution led by Joseph Kyomuhendo during the pretrial hearing sufficiently substantiates them.
According to the prosecution, it is alleged that between April 2020 and May 2020, at Busibante Zone in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, Costa received and harbored a sixteen-year-old primary six pupil of Kira Primary School.
The prosecution claims that this was done by exploiting the victim’s vulnerable position or through the exchange of payments or benefits to the victim’s parents to gain their consent to exploit the victim.
End
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