Police in Kitgum district is holding a man for allegedly defiling an underage girl suffering from Nodding Syndrome.
Patrick Arop, a resident of Agweng West Village, Akwang Sub County was picked by police on Sunday after allegedly defiling the 13-year-old girl. Police say they are hunting for another unidentified male suspect for allegedly defiling a 7 year old girl also suffering from Nodding Syndrome. Both rape allegations, police say, took place on Sunday this week.
Jimmy Patrick Okema, the Aswa Region Police Spokesperson confirmed the incident and said police is investigating the two separate sexual crimes against the minors.
Since 2009, dozens of girls suffering from the syndrome in the districts of Kitgum and Pader have been defiled by men who take advantage of their memory loss. Some have either ended up being made pregnant or infected with HIV/Aids.
Nodding Syndrome is a mysterious illness that affects the brain and nervous system of children, primarily between the ages of five to 15. Children display a sleepy appearance and appear to “nod off” and lose contact with the world around them.
The root cause of the syndrome is not yet established, according to the report from the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, US.
Over 6,000 children in Acholi sub-region were affected by the syndrome and at least 300 lost their lives, according to Ministry of Health and local officials’ reports.
