An American couple accused of Trafficking and torturing their ten year old adopted son has been further remanded to Luzira prison, as police carries on more investigations.
Mackeinze Leing Spencer and her husband Nicholas Spencer residents of Naguru Hill in Nakawa division in Kampala have spent 2 months in jail, for allegedly administering harsh punishments to the minor .
The couple is charged with torture and aggrevated child trafficking charges which are triable by only the Highcourt’s International Crimes Division court .
Today as the duo returned to Buganda Road Court to check on the stage of police Investigations.
The chief state prosecutor Joan Keko informed court that police and state are within their mandatory six months’ period to wind up with investigations.
Presiding Chief Magistrate Sarah Tusiime Tushabe also concurred with the state that they should not be pressurized since they still have more 4 months within which to finalise the investigations, before committing the suspects to the International Crimes Division court to face trial.
Prosecution states that the couple between 2020 and 2022 at their residence in Naguru , recruited , transported, maintained and tortured a vulnerable ten year old boy .
It’s further alleged that the couple used to administer harsh punishments to the child, deprived him of his right to education and kept him locked up in a small room that also doubled as his bedroom.
The coupe was reported to Kira Road police by the child’s caregiver after noticing the detoriating condition of the child .
The care giver who preffered anonymity told police that the minor used to sit on a cold tilled floor without clothes and slept on a bed without a mattress, and a camera was installed in his room to monitor all his movements.
According to evidence handed to police, the couple also fosters 2 other children but only tortures one whom they accuse of being stubborn , hyperactive, mentally unstableband thus administered harsh punishments as a way of getting him in line .
They now return to court on the 21st/February 2023 for further mention.
Report by: Betty Zziwa
