Pakwach, Uganda: One Ivan Mungungeyo has been arrested by Pakwach District Police on charges of sexually assaulting a female passenger on a Nile Star bus.
Mr Mungungeyo, from Wampewo Kasawe area, Kasangati Municipality in Wakiso District, was arrested on Sunday, June 9, 2024 after the victim, Judith Jurua Tracy, 21, reported the incident to the police station of Pakwach police.
Mungungeyo has denied the allegations, claiming that the zipper on his pants was opened accidentally.
Josephine Angucia, spokesperson for the West Nile region police, detailed that the incident took place on Saturday night in the village of Kichobonyobo, Masindi district. Both the suspect and the victim were traveling on a Nile Star bus (registration number UBF 691T) from Kampala to Arua.
“The Pakwach District Territorial Police are investigating a complaint of indecent assault on a lady by a man, both passengers of a night bus with registration number UBF 691T while it was en route from Kampala to Arua City. This allegedly occurred around Kichobonyobo village in Masindi district,” Angucia said.
Initial reports reveal that the victim was initially seated in number 21 with another passenger. However, after the bus arrived in Luwero, the other female passenger disembarked and the seat was reassigned to Mr Mungungeyo.
Angucia reported that as the bus was moving, Mr. Mungungeyo allegedly began touching the victim’s thigh and opened his zipper, rubbing his genitals against the victim’s sweater.
“Around Kichobonyobo village in Masindi, the suspect unzipped and released his ‘limb’ and rubbed it on the victim’s sweater, which upset her and she raised the alarm on the bus,” the police said. police.
The victim left his seat and went to the front to sit in the drivers seat. She narrated it to the bus driver and told him what her seatmate had done.
Mr Mungungeyo reportedly denied the allegation and claimed that he forgot to zip up his pants and that was why his penis was hanging out.
Upon reaching Pakwach, the bus drivers notified the police, who immediately stopped the public nuisance.
A case of indecent assault was opened at Pakwach Police Station and the statements of the complainant and other relevant witnesses were recorded.
“The suspect was detained pending investigations under Pakwach CRB 223/2024,” said Josephine Angucia, West Nile region police spokesperson.
The police applauded the bus operators for their vigilance on this matter and for not tolerating such indecent behavior by reporting it for investigation and proper management.
The investigation continues as authorities work to gather more evidence and testimony about the incident.