Twenty-five-year-old Nathan Odeke, a teacher at Mother’s Pride Nursery and Primary School in Gulaama village in Mukono Central Division, has been remanded to Luzira Prison for aggravated defilement involving a 16-year-old pupil. He appeared on Friday before the Mukono Grade One Magistrate, Praise Ahurira, on accusations of sexually assaulting the girl on two separate occasions.
According to court proceedings, the first incident allegedly occurred in May 2026 when Odeke reportedly expressed romantic interest in the pupil before following her into the girls’ dormitory during break time, where he is accused of forcing himself on her. The second alleged assault took place on July 10, 2026. It is alleged that while many teachers and pupils were away in Tororo attending the head teacher’s introduction ceremony, Odeke tricked the girl into getting drinking water to the Primary Six classroom.
Once inside, he allegedly grabbed her, pushed her down, and began defiling her. A male pupil who was passing by witnessed the act and raised an alarm, prompting teachers to report the matter to police. State prosecutor Babra Anguzu told the court that investigations into the case are complete and asked that Odeke return to the court for mention.
Magistrate Ahurira explained that aggravated defilement is a serious offence beyond the jurisdiction of the magistrate’s court. She noted that the accused retains the right to apply for bail in the High Court, which has the authority to handle such matters. Odeke remains in custody and will return to court on July 28 for further mention of his case. The case has raised fresh concerns about the safety of learners in Ugandan schools, particularly the vulnerability of girls to sexual exploitation by individuals entrusted with their care.
Child protection advocates have repeatedly called for stricter vetting of school staff and enhanced supervision in boarding facilities to prevent such incidents. Aggravated defilement carries severe penalties under Ugandan law, including lengthy prison sentences upon conviction-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
