A Ugandan
nanny has pleaded guilty to charges of torturing a child who was
under her care in a case that shocked Ugandans and sparked debate about
the role of maids in raising children in the East African country.
The
nanny, 22-year-old Jolly Tumuhiirwe, was convicted Monday although her
lawyer voiced concern that she had not been given a fair trial. She will
be sentenced on Wednesday and faces up to 15 years in jail.
In
a video widely circulated on social media, Tumuhiirwe is seen slapping,
kicking and stomping on her employer's child, a girl under the age of
2. The video had been recorded by a secret camera planted in the house
by the child's father, who beat the maid when he saw the footage. The
maid then reported a case of assault to the police, but the man
presented footage of the nanny beating up his daughter to explain his
violent reaction, according to Ugandan attorney Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi, a
lawyer for Tumuhiirwe.
The
lawyer said his client did not understand the torture charge and would
not have pleaded guilty if he had been present in court. He said he was
late for the court session Monday and asked for an adjournment that was
not granted.
"She has been
convicted on her own plea of guilty. She did not understand what she was
pleading to," he said. "You cannot charge people with such serious
offenses unless that they have legal representation in court."
When
the video was released on social media last month, it sparked an uproar
among Ugandans shocked by what appeared to be the savage beating of a
toddler who had vomited food the nanny forced her to eat.
Local
police initially said she would be charged with attempted murder, and
the police chief, Kale Kayihura, has since called for the official
vetting and certification of potential nannies before they can be
employed.
AP
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