By Emmanuel Omona PaOkech

The Gulu Grade One Magistrate has sentenced a 25 year old man to 6 months imprisonment for assaulting and causing bodily harm to a visually impaired girl.

During the hearing from the Gulu Grade One Magistrate’s court, Florence Lagum aged 18, told court that Brian Ocaya who is her uncle on the 18th of February 2013 asked her for some money and when she told him that she didn’t have the money, he slapped her several times on the head.

Lagum told court presided over by Saidi Barigye that since that incident, she has been experiencing constant pain in her head despite taking several pain relievers.

But Opira in response told court that he beat Lagum because she had insulted him and prayed for lenience from the magistrate.

The Magistrate therefore sentenced him to 6 months instead of 18 months imprisonment arguing that he has not wasted court’s time since he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Dorothy Abalo, the program coordinator for the National Union of women with disabilities of Uganda who also attended the court said that they have received a number of complains from the disabled women.

Abalo also noted that assault has been a common case recorded at police.

She said that they receive over 5 cases in a week in their offices.

Abalo also said that they receive funding from Action on Disability and Development [ADD] to facilitate the disabled women who go through such cases.