Two juveniles from Kotido District have been rescued from child labour, exploitation, and denial of education after they were trafficked to Kumi District to rear goats.
The victims, Israel Lokong (13) and Joseph Lochole (14), are pupils of Kotido Mixed Primary School in Kotido Municipality. According to official records seen by our reporter, the boys were allegedly trafficked to Mukongoro in Kumi District by a man identified as Peter Lodomo, also known as Lochul, exploiting their vulnerable circumstances.
The minors had been employed as goat herders in Odedei Cell, Mukongoro Town Council, until their rescue, a breakthrough which followed investigations into their mysterious disappearance from Kotido in early November.
Police have since arrested three suspects and preferred charges of trafficking in persons contrary to the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2009, a law that protects children from social and economic exploitation and the denial of basic rights such as education and health.
The Kotido District Police Commander, Jimmy Tumwine, identified the suspects as Peter Lodomo Lochul alias Lokwi, a resident of Naponga Village in Rengen Sub-county; Romono Ojakol, a resident of Odedei Cell in Mukongoro Town Council, Kumi District; and Romano Olupot, also of Mukongoro Town Council.
Peter Logola, a resident of Kotyang in North Division and the father of Israel Lokong, accused his wife, Madelena Modo, of subjecting the children under her care to violent circumstances that he believes may have forced his son to flee home. He said he pursued the matter to ensure his son returns to school and breaks the cycle of poverty and violence.
The Kotido Senior Probation and Welfare Officer, Brian Emmy Etuko, said coordinated efforts involving Local Council I chairpersons, the police, and his office led to the tracking of the suspects and the rescue of the minors.
He confirmed that the boys have since been reunited with their families and urged parents to provide for their children and ensure consistent school attendance.
Data from the Kotido District Probation Office indicates that at least 65 cases of child trafficking and out-migration have been registered since January 2025.
Under Section 5 of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2009, a person convicted of child trafficking is liable to life imprisonment, and the court may also order compensation for victims to support their rehabilitation.
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