Arrest bar owners hosting minors, rights activists demand

The executive director of Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG), Sarah Bireete, appealed to security entities to swing into action and have bar owners defying the law as regards child protection apprehended.

She appealed to parents and guardians not to abdicate their role as sole child protectors.

“Bar proprietors hosting minors need to be arrest. It is totally unacceptable to have minors in bars in the wee hours of the night engaging in errant behavior beyond what is expected of them,” she said, adding, “I call upon parents and guardians to strongly assume their role of being child protectors.”

Of late, some minors have been seen in bars displaying errant behavior on social media beyond what is expected of their age.

The call for action follows a TikTok torture video in which a half-naked female teenager identified as Pretty Nicole is seen being flogged by a group of young women.

 Several videos of the 14-year-old Nicole in bars engaging in errant behavior have since gone viral on social media.

 According to the Kampala Metropolitan police deputy spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, one suspect identified as Kafta Queen has been arrested as investigations into the matter continue.

"One person has today been arrested in connection to the viral video where a girl is seen being tortured. She has been identified as Kafta Queen, 18, and is the prime suspect that invited the victim to attend her birthday celebrations, only to start beating her up,” he said in a statement.

Kaftah had invited some other friends who joined her to slap Nicole, hit her with sticks, pour water on her, and drag her on the floor by her hair.

Nicole spent the night at Kawempe Police Station to prevent her from fleeing.

"Kawempe Police station has a shelter for victims of torture, kidnap and trafficking. This is where she slept after exhibiting signs of escaping from her mother; it should be noted that the girl also blames herself for what happened to her," Owoyesigyire said.

Police had earlier said that she had refused to cooperate with them to provide information that would help in arresting the suspects.