Once you’ve seen the footage of the Ugandan nanny that abused the toddler left in her care, there’s no forgetting it. The video opens with a woman and a young child sitting on the couch. The woman, the child’s nanny, attempts to feed her. After becoming frustrated with the pace at which the toddler is eating, the nanny deals blows to the child repeatedly. A few minutes later, the toddler throws up, infuriating her nanny. The video ends after the toddler is flung to the floor and stomped and kicked by her nanny, then taken into an adjoining room.
The scene takes place in Uganda and the name of the nanny is Jolly Tumuhiirwe. She is 22-years-old. The footage of the Ugandan nanny and the abused toddler went viral last month and many called for the the harshest of punishments for the Ugandan nanny whom they felt deserved no mercy.
After the video went viral and an investigation was started, Tumuhirrwe apologized for her actions toward the child and attempted to even justify her behavior.
“My dad in Kabale was very sick and my mom did not have any money. I asked my bosses for some money to send to my dad but they told me that I hadn’t made a month yet and my father was dying, so it kept on haunting me. That is the more reason I referred the anger to the baby but I’m sorry…I feel guilty…okay when I was doing it I thought I was disciplining the baby because also the mother sometimes slaps her, I also saw from the mom. The torch I used was small and it’s not hard. I think, I will never do it again.”
As was reported by the Inquisitr , the Ugandan nanny was charged with torture , a charge she plead guilty to. It was stated that for her actions, the Ugandan nanny faced up to 15 years in prison.
The verdict is now in and the Ugandan nanny will only face four years in prison . According to Yahoo! News , the judge told Tumuhiirwe that her actions were “unjustifiable and inexcusable.” BBC News reported on what Mr. Kamanzie, the father of the tortured Ugandan toddler, had to say following the sentencing.
“It’s not for us to decide the punishment for what she committed…We hope this has set an example for other maids out there, that you can’t just go to someone’s house and torture their baby and expect to walk out.”
There was one person who felt pity for the Ugandan nanny and that was Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, the Ugandan Human Rights Lawyer who decided to take up the case.
“I would gladly try to help her because the world has turned against her. She needs legal counsel; the constitution presumes her innocent till [proven] guilty despite all that we have seen.”
Do you believe the sentencing for the Ugandan nanny is fair? Share your thoughts.