A 75-year-old ailing man who has been on remand at Luzira Prison for three years following his arrest on aggravated defilement charges pleaded with a High Court judge in Kampala to set him free after being pardoned by the victim’s family.
Godfrey Ssozi, a resident of Bulenga ‘B’ Village in Wakiso District on Wednesday appeared before Justice Margaret Mutonyi, alongside 25-year-old Sam Nyeba who has also been battling separate defilement charges. Nyeba’s victim was aged 17 at the time of the offence.
A frail-looking Ssozi had been carried to the courtroom by Nyeba with whom they have been on remand since 2021.
They were both convicted on their own volition before pleading for pardon.
“I apologise for the wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. My prayer has always been that I’m released so that I can be allowed to spend my last days on earth in the hands of my relatives at home,” pleaded Ssozi, an HIV patient who was remanded in January 2021 following his arrest for allegedly defiling a neighbour’s 7-year-old daughter.
The court heard that Ssozi had in 2021 confessed to committing the offence when he was arrested and taken to his village LCI chairman. He was later taken to police and processed for procession.
His Wednesday plea moved Justice Mutonyi who sentenced him to the time he’s served on remand.
“This court hereby releases the convict (Ssozi) basing on the ill-health because he is admitted at Luzira Murchison Bay Hospital. He cannot walk by himself without support. Both the convict (Ssozi) and the mother of the victim have reconciled after his apology and being forgiven,” Justice Mutonyi said.