By Emmanuel Olinga
KATAKWI
Police In Katakwi, East Kyoga Region are investigating a case where a UPDF Officer attached to CIT Second Division, Mbarara and a resident of Angopet cell, southern ward Katakwi Town council is accused of Child trafficking, child labor and child sacrifice.
It’s reported that on the 26th November 2024, Ben Epeduno, a male juvenile of 17 years, a resident of Apeleun Kamenu Magoro Sub County was hired to look after goats by Simon Peter Ebaat where he stayed in the home up to May 2025 before he disappeared with his property to an unknown place.
The case was reported to Police by Peter Olukol, aged 45 yrs Etesot by tribe, a peasant, resident of Apeleun, Kamenu parish, Magoro sub county, Toroma county, Katakwi district, on 26th June 2025 at Magoro Police Station where a case of disappearance was entered under CRB 638/2025.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Saiga, Regional Police commander, East Kyoga Region says brief facts reported allege that in the month of August 2024 the said juvenile was brought to the home of the suspect by one Okinyang and Dan Okiso and was given a job of grazing animals.
He says Police have taken action and a report was made at Magoro Police Station under SD Ref: 25/26/06/2025 of Magoro and a casefile opened to help with investigation and transferred to Katakwi CPS on 28.10.2025.
He urged the public to share relevant information to assist investigations to establish the whereabouts of the juvenile.
Meanwhile, Rtd. UPDF John Peter Oteleng, chairperson Itekok Iwoloin clan narrated that Simon Peter Ebat took their son to look for goats in September 2024 but to their dismay the boy disappeared and his whereabouts remain uncertain.
He said the clan got concerned and inquired from Ebaat but no clear response was given until the meeting was held on October where Ebaat requested for one month to search for the juvenile and during the meeting held on 18th November 2025 Ebaat accepted to compensate the child but the boy’s whereabouts remain undiscovered and compensation process has remained in vain.
Peter Olukor, 45, a fisherman from Apeleun and father of Epeduno, stated that his son was picked up by Ebaat on November 26th, 2024, in Kiiya Village, where he lived with his Aunt Rose Among, to rear goats with an agreement to give him Ugx 30,000 in wages.
Olukor is pleading with responsible child offices to obtain justice for his son, citing the fact that he has sold land and some domestic animals in order to look forhis child.
Stephen Ilemukorit Okure, Resident District Commissioner Katakwi RDC, confirmed that on November 18, 2025, his office received a complaint about the disappearance of a 17-year-old boy from Ebaats home, and he referred the case to Katakwi Central Police Station due to its sensitivity of child trafficking, child labor, and child sacrifice.
Francis Aruo, LCIII chairperson for Magoro sub county, says there are suspicions of child sacrifice on the suspect as a third case, but he is concerned because the suspect has no criminal record.
Ebaat, denies the allegations, claiming that it was due to jealousy. According to Ebaat, the incident was orchestrated by Acogor Richard, his neighbor and son’s father, who sneaked out and stole the boy from his home in order to tarnish his name.
While responding to the claimed agreement, Ebaat stated that it was forged because he never signed it, and neither did any of the local leaders.
