By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: A city businessman who runs a string of hotels in Kampala is in trouble for allegedly raping one of his female employees.
Lawrence Lubowa, the proprietor of Giraffe Hotel and Supermarket in Kisaasi, Kampala was on Friday arrested by detectives at Kisaasi police for allegedly raping his employee  identified as Sarah Sanya. Lubowa’s trouble started when Sanya reported a case of rape against him at Busikiriwa police post in Kisaasi vide file number SD REF 05/06/2019. Sanya told the police that she had been raped by Lubowa just a day after being employed at his hotel by him. It is said that when he was summoned, Lubowa denied the allegations until detectives were sent to arrest him.
On being taken to police, the rape victim, her parents and the suspected rapist sat on a round table and started negotiations that were mediated by the police. Sources privy to the case reveal that  Lubowa accepted to have committed the unthinkable act and begged for forgiveness. As the negotiations continued, Sanya insisted that Lubowa should be detained and taken to court, such that he could answer for his sins. But Sanya’s parents opted to  demand for a fine of Shs4M from Lubowa, saying they would set him free for raping their daughter if he accepted to pay the fine.  The rapist however shocked Sanya’s parents when he told them that he could only offer Shs700,000, something they furiously rejected. Both sides failed to reach an amicable agreement and the detectives had no option but to forward the matter to Kira Police station.
Article 123 of The Penal Code Act Chapter 120 provides for a definition of rape stating that any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent has committed rape. A person who has unlawful carnal knowledge with her consent, but the consent is obtained by force, means of threats, intimidation of any kind, or by fear of bodily harm also commits the felony of rape. Rape also includes false representations as to the nature of the act, or in the case of a married woman, by impersonating her husband. A person who commits rape is liable to suffer death. Any person who attempts to commit rape commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life with or without corporal punishment.  However, hundreds of girls and women are raped every years by their employers and other men in society, who often offer them or their parents money to sort the matter. This habit has perpetrated sexual abuse against women in Uganda according to human rights activists.
