DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: What it means to have acid poured on your private parts

Stella Kemigabo whose husband allegedly poured a chemical mixed with acid on her private parts. Photo by Ruth Katusabe  

By Felix Basiime and Ruth Katusabe

Posted Tuesday, June 16  2015 at  01:00 http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/What-means-acid-private-parts/-/691232/2752860/-/bdueusz/-/index.html

IN SUMMARY

Stella Kemigabo shares a story of a cheating spouse and domestic violence

My name is Stella Kemigabo and I am 32 years old. I am a resident of Kitumba, Kabegira in East Division, Fort Portal municipality, Uganda.

I met my husband in 2003. He operated a veterinary drug shop in Mpanga market in Fort Portal Town where I used to buy drugs for my parent’s cattle. 

He first hired me as a maid in February 2005 but later turned me into his wife. Issues came when I brought my son (who was not his) to stay with us. He asked me to take back the boy to his father and in August 2006, he gave me Shs 250, 000 for transport to Masindi where the father of my son was based. Instead, I went to Kampala where I stayed with my son”

Reunion
After six years, he came back into my life and convinced me that he was going to look for a school for my son in Fort Portal and pay fees for one year. At the time, my son was studying at Katwe United in Kampala. 
However, before going back to his home, I asked him to meet my grandmother and relatives, which he did, but, he came alone and that was in March 2013.

The pregnancy

I then went back to his home at Kagote village in Fort Portal Town. Two months later, I got pregnant. I was happy but this was shortlived. One Sunday when I returned from church, I found my husband with another woman at home. He beat me until I lost consciousness. I was admitted to Sarah’s Clinic in Fort Portal Town.

While at the clinic, he begged for forgiveness and I forgave him. When I was discharged, we stayed together until I was seven months pregnant. I could not stand his character anymore.

He could not provide anything for me even when I was in labour, I called him and he refused to answer my calls. He only came in to pay the hospital bill and also brought a vehicle to take me to my grandmother’s home.

A month later, my husband convinced me to go back to his home and when I did, I found him in bed with another woman different from the first one I had caught him with.

The attack
In July, 2014, I had gone to see a patient back home but I left my baby behind. On returning home, I found my husband in bed with another woman. 
He jumped out of bed naked and started beating me, he called one of the herdsmen to bring a rope and he tied me before he dressed up. While on the ropes, my husband called someone else who came on a motorcycle.

The trio carried me to a nearby forest and made me lie down and put my baby beside me. My husband asked the porter to remove the rope and wrap it around my neck and tied me on a stump, I tried making an alarm but I was over whelmed.

My husband asked the porter to bring a jerrican which contained a liquid like acid, he poured it on my waist and other lower parts. That is when I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was at Sarah’s Clinic in Fort Portal Town where I was told that I was found in bushes in Kagote with my child at around 11pm after passersby heard a baby crying in the bushes and alerted security. I was then transferred to Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital where the medical staff confirmed that I was splashed with a chemical mixed with acid.

Authorities’ take
When contacted, Joshua Tusingwire, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Fort Portal Central police station.
“As police, we have done our part, re-writing an additional statement from the victim and attached it to the file which is currently with the State Antony for advice. 
The case is before Grade I magistrate’s court. 

Some area councilors said last year, they tried to follow the case at police but the police was not forthcoming.

Current state
I cannot stay in public for four hours because my body emit a bad odour due to the pus that oozes from my private parts. 

The drug that I was prescribed to take is at Shs17, 000 weekly which I cannot raise consistently since I don’t have any job. 

I have to wear diapers all the time and I have no hope of getting married again. I was referred to Kampala for further treatment but I do not have money for transport, upkeep and treatment.
However, I was told that my uterus was affected by the acid. I, therefore appeal to the authorities to help me get justice.

Struggle for justice

I reported the case to Fort Portal central police station. I found two officers at the counter; one of them was Ms Nyakaisiki.

When I told her my story, she instead told me I was under arrest since my husband had reported a case against me of attempted suicide.

However, I undressed and showed the police officers the wounds that were oozing blood and pus. Nyakaisiki then took me back to Fort Portal Regional Hospital where my story was proved. I made the statements and opened the case file (CRB/522/15) against my husband.

The next day when I went back to police, a certain police officer asked Nyakaisiki to hand over my case file.
My husband was arrested.I found my husband talking to the said police officer and on seeing me, he knelt down and begged me for forgiveness which I turned down but to my surprise, the officer in a strong voice told me that I have to forgive my husband.

Whether I like it or not. He added that if men can cut off their women’s arms, legs and other parts of the body and women forgive them and go back to their marriage, who am I to do otherwise, he continuously backed at me saying I should sign the police statement. 

He did not even give me an opportunity to read it and later said in two weeks I should sort out myself, I later signed on statements.My husband then drove me and dumped me at Dr Kisakye’s hospital and did not pick my bill of Shs420, 000 for the treatment that was later paid by my sister.

Later police officers wrote a statement that my husband and I had accepted to separate and was ordered to give me Shs10, 000 every week as upkeep for the child which he never fulfilled. 
I kept going back to police after three months and my husband slapped me twice in the presence a Sergeant at the police station who also said I was becoming problem.