Police in Rubirizi District have arrested a 17-year-old man over allegedly defiling a four-year-old learner at St Peter's Nursery School, authorities said on Saturday.

The suspect, identified only as Justus and a resident of Kyeibumba II Village in Buzenga Parish, Ryeru Sub County, allegedly called the child into a bedroom on August 20 before the incident, police said.

“The scene of the crime was managed accordingly and the suspect is in our cells. The victim was subjected to a medical examination to prove the allegation. We shall accordingly keep the general public updated about our progress of the investigation,” SP Apollo Tayebwa, Greater Bushenyi Regional Police spokesperson, said.

SP Tayebwa added that handling cases involving juveniles remains challenging in the region.

“Efforts to have the juvenile in conflict with the law apprehended are still ongoing. As Police, we strongly condemn such acts and urge parents and caretakers to always be deliberate in minding children’s safety and security,” he said.

According to the Uganda Police annual crime report for 2024, the country recorded 12,312 cases of defilement, a 3.4 percent decrease from the 12,771 cases reported in 2023.

Of these, 8,240 were categorized as defilement, while 7,072 were classified as aggravated defilement.

Authorities emphasized that the case remains under probe, and the suspect is expected to face appropriate legal proceedings once the investigation concludes.