In Bukooli village, Iwemba sub-county, a man named Ali Hatibu, aged fifty, was fined Shillings 100,000 and subjected to 20 strokes of the cane in public for vehemently denying the paternity of a child born out of wedlock.
The child’s mother, Hanifa Namulindwa, informed Hatibu about her pregnancy, but he immediately disowned any responsibility.
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Hatibu claimed that his ongoing struggle with prostate cancer made it impossible for him to father any more children.
He accused Namulindwa of conspiring with his business rivals to tarnish his family’s reputation.
Despite Hatibu’s accusations, Namulindwa decided to raise her son through odd jobs.
However, in May 2023, Hatibu made a shocking demand: he insisted on a ritual cleansing to determine if he was the child’s biological father.
He warned Namulindwa that if the paternity test proved negative, the child would die in front of witnesses.
Reluctantly, Namulindwa agreed to the ritual cleansing, and the clan members performed undisclosed rituals involving herbs on the child’s body for 45 days.
The child remained healthy throughout the process. Hatibu eventually apologized for denying his child in a public meeting and admitted to suspecting Namulindwa of infidelity, which strained their relationship.
Dukuli clan leader Suleiman Wabwire sanctioned Hatibu with 10 strokes of the cane, a fine of Shillings 100,000, two goats, and a rooster.
This punishment aimed to cleanse Hatibu and his family from any curses resulting from the denial of their own child.
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Wabwire emphasized the importance of conducting such disciplinary actions in public to discourage future cases of child neglect and denial within their community.
As part of the reconciliation process, Wabwire ordered Hatibu to officially marry Namulindwa as his second wife to restore her reputation after being wrongly labeled a prostitute by some community members due to having a child out of wedlock.
