Police have arrested a Catholic Church Priest in Busia, Uganda for allegedly defiling a 17-year-old primary school girl.

He was picked from Dabani Parish headquarters where he is serving as a priest and was briefly held at Dabani police station before he was transferred to Busia Police Station.

According to the police report, a medical examination on the girl showed she was defiled while tests on the priest indicated he was involved in sex. 

The police report further revealed that a pregnancy test on the victim turned out negative but medical experts were still carrying out tests to determine the HIV status of the priest.

Busia District Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department officer Tibbs Asiimwe confirmed the priest’s arrest. 

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However, Asiimwe added that the priest was released on medical grounds as his health deteriorated while in police custody. 

“It was difficult to keep in police cells until today (Monday January 29). We feared that he would cause us problems and we gave him bond so that he can access treatment, come back this week then we take him to court,” said Asiimwe. 

A member of the victim’s family told The Daily Monitor that the priest was arrested after he returned her home, four days after she was reported missing.

According to the family, she sat for her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) in 2023, in one of the schools in Busia.

A reliable source told The Daily Monitor that the priest was drunk when he returned the girl to her parents.

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“The priest brought the girl home on a motorbike, and when we tried asking him where the girl had been, he started quarreling,” said the source. 

“Our daughter went missing for four days and when she finally appeared with the priest, we were suspicious,” he added.

According to the Catholic Church doctrines, priests are expected to practice celibacy while serving the church.