Court Completes Speedy Trial in Case of Attempted Murder of a Woman at the Hands of her Partner
Violence Against Women and Children
On July 25, 2023, after a swift three months trial, the Chief Magistrates Court in Gulu sentenced the perpetrator to 3 years of imprisonment for the attempted murder of his former partner.
25-year-old Charlotte* lived with her partner for 5 years, during which they had two children, now aged 4 years and 3 months. But after these 5 years, Charlotte decided to leave her husband as she felt unsafe in his presence, especially as he would often become violent when he was drunk.
However, a few months after their separation, her former partner, once again under the influence of alcohol, suddenly appeared at her house demanding to spend the night there. Sensing the imminent danger, she sought refuge in her landlord’s house.
But the man figured out where Charlotte was hiding, and he became enraged, accusing Charlotte's landlord of meddling with “his wife’s” affairs. Charlotte, determined to protect her landlord, stepped in but this resulted in a violent altercation during which he bit Charlotte, tearing off part of her skin.
Charlotte reported the incident to the Police, a medical examination was conducted, and following investigations, the perpetrator was arrested and charged with attempted murder.
On July 25, 2023, the Chief Magistrates Court in Gulu sentenced the perpetrator to 3 years of imprisonment. The judgment signed by the Chief Magistrate reads as follows: “The Court found that the evidence does impute an intention to cause death on the part of the accused towards the victim, and I agree with the findings of the principal witness, the medical personnel who classified the injuries as grievous harm."
IJM Legal Coordinator in Gulu, Ms. Florence Lora Atim, expressed her appreciation to the justice actors for their commitment to ensure a swift trial. The case started on April 18, 2023, and ended on July 25, 2023.
Ms. Atim stated, “The case was fully tried within a short period (three months), and this shows that the judiciary is beginning to prioritize gender-based violence cases. The case was conducted in a trauma-informed manner by the Judiciary and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The public justice actors are therefore more willing to adopt trauma-informed procedures during trial.”
Additionally, IJM supported the investigation and prosecution of the case and also provided support to the survivor.
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*To protect IJM survivors, we have used pseudonyms.