By Mike Rwothomio

ZOMBO : Justine Awekunimungu, a 38-year-old teacher at Zumbu Upper Primary School in Zombo Town Council, Zombo District, was collared by authorities for the alleged statutory rape of a 17-year-old female learner and orchestrating an illegal abortion to cover his tracks.

Festus Ayikobua, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Zombo, spearheaded the bust after receiving actionable intelligence from school officials confirming Awekunimungu’s crimes.

The suspect was pinched in a pre-dawn raid Thursday at his residence in Zeu Sub-County by a security task force. Hauled to Paidha Central Police Station, he copped to the charges during interrogation, pleading for leniency.

" By 8:00 PM on Wednesday evening, someone spotted him with a brother at their home in Zeu Sub-County, we went and picked him, took him to Zeu police post and later brought him to Paidha CPS", Ayikobua told this outlet in an extensive debrief.

The RDC revealed this is Awekunimungu’s second brush with the law, noting a prior attempt to tamper with evidence by offering bribes to the victim’s kin and others—a scheme that fell apart.

The Resident District Commissioner of Zombo Festus Ayikobua, initiated the arrests.

Ayikobua vowed to see the case through, warning schools and locals against burying such crimes and promising a prosecution that’ll make other perps think twice.

Police Rap Sheet

West Nile Regional Police Spokesperson SP Collins Asea reported that a case was opened April 30, 2025, at 12: 16 PM detailing a heinous sexual assault on November 25, 2024, in Zombo Town.

The 17-year-old victim, a primary school student, was allegedly targeted by Awekunimungu during an extracurricular activity.

Asea stated the teacher strong-armed the minor, ignoring her protests, and dragged her to a secluded spot for non-consensual, unprotected sex.

When the victim later discovered her pregnancy and confronted Awekunimungu, he allegedly slipped her abortifacient drugs, triggering severe hemorrhaging

 “The perp sweet-talked her into sex, then overpowered her despite her refusals, taking her to a hideout for the assault,” Asea’s statement read.

“Unaware of pregnancy risks, she told him when she found out. Instead of stepping up, he handed her pills to terminate it, landing her in Nyapea Hospital for emergency treatment.”

A charge of aggravated defilement is logged under Zombo CRB 23/2025.

The suspect’s cooling his heels in lockup as the investigation grinds on, with more details pending.

Zombo District is a hotbed for teenage pregnancies and underage marriages, particularly among schoolgirls.

The Alur Kingdom’s monarch, His Majesty Ubimu Phillip Rauni Ularker III, has been sounding the alarm on activities derailing girls’ education, pushing hard for their retention in schools.

Police are doubling down, urging the public to snitch on lawbreakers and guaranteeing that perps will face the full weight of the law.

Per the Uganda Police Force’s 2024 Annual Crime Report, defilement remains a major racket, with 13,765 cases logged nationwide—a slight dip from 14,230 in 2023. Of these, 1,842 were aggravated defilement (victims under 14), and 11,923 were simple defilement (victims 14-17).

Some 4,320 suspects were dragged to court, with 1,105 convictions by year’s end. Rural areas like West Nile, including Zombo, account for 8% of the national tally, spotlighting the uphill battle against sexual violence in schools and communities.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa