KAMPALA– The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on Wednesday entered a plea bargain agreement with Carlos Alberto De Almeida Costa, a Portuguese national indicted for Aggravated Trafficking in Children. The agreement was endorsed by Justice Bashaija K. Andrew, in the International Crimes Division of the High Court.
Carlos-Alberto-De-Almeida being acompanied to court by a prisons warder during the trial. (Courtesy photo)
Carlos Alberto De Almeida Costa came to Uganda in August 2019. He stayed in Ntinda with his girlfriend but they had differences and separated. He later relocated to Najjera where he rented an apartment. Between April and May 2020, Carlos met the victim’s mother who was selling tea by the roadside in Najjera with her two daughters, the victim and her sibling. He befriended her and started buying tea from them. Carlos became friends with the entire family of the victim who was 16 years old.
The accused rented a house for the victim’s family and requested them to move in. The house had two bedrooms. The accused was occupying one room while the victim’s family occupied another room. Carlos invited the victim to his room on several occasions and defiled her several times. He then made an agreement with the victim’s parents wherein he agreed to marry her. During this time he continued to perform sexual acts with the child who later reported him to the police.
Carlos was indicted with two counts of Aggravated Trafficking in Children under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act.
On appearing before Court , Carlos freely and voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charges and agreed to be sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and to compensate the victim Ug. Shs. 30 million.
Aggravating and mitigating factors of the case such as the gravity of the offences, the victim’s age, age difference between the victim and the accused, abuse of power and trust, plea of guilt, advanced age and illness (cancer) of the accused were taken into consideration in the plea bargain.
This case was prosecuted by Kyomuhendo Joseph, Chief State Attorney in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
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