The girl seen being beaten over snatching a man in the viral video is 14 years old, according to her mother Aisha Kwagala. Kwagala has identified her daughter as Pretty Nicole.
After watching the video, Kwagala rushed from Mpigi to Maganjo in Kampala where her daughter was staying with an alleged relative. Kwagala said her daughter run away from her home, in Kagaba zone, Kiringente Sub-County, in the Mpigi district.
Before coming to Kampala, Kwagala first called Kawempe police station shading tears asking police officers to help in tracing those who brutalized her daughter to the extent of undressing her.
“I am Kwagala Aisha and I am the mother of the girl who has been beaten in the video. She is called Pretty Nicole. She escaped from my home but I have seen her being tortured by people I don’t know,” Kwagala told police officers on phone.
Earlier on, Kawempe police station had opened an SD 50/09/09/2023 in search of the victim and culprits. Detective Constable Caroline Wabomba went to Maganjo a place where Nicole who had not yet been identified was suspected to be living. However, Wabomba did not find anyone to the place where she had been directed.
When Kwagala called to confirm and gave details of her victimized daughter, police traced the victim. “Our inquiries have commenced on vide Kawempe sd50/09/01/2023. We have recorded statements from the mother of the victim and other witnesses. What is pending is her medical examination and apprehension of the suspects,” police detectives said.
Police have established that Nicole was called by a friend from Ndejje where she had gone to visit an aunt to go to Kira. “That the friend had pertinent issues to relay to her. On getting there, a group began assaulting her on accusations of snatching their boyfriends. The alleged commissions occurred in Kira division and some parts of Ndejje, Wakiso district necessitating referral,” the detective said.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson, has refuted claims that Nicole was detained in Kawempe cells instead of her tormentors. Owoyesigyire said their observation has revealed that the victim seems not well psychologically after the whole incident.
Nicole had by press time not cooperated with the police to help identify the suspects. She blames herself for whatever happened and feels she deserved the beating. Nicole has also told the police that she will run away from home the moment she goes back with her mom.
“We agreed with the mom to have her sleep at the Police station. She needs some professional help. What if she hurts herself? So, she wasn’t arrested; whatever happened was in agreement with the parents,” Owoyesigyire said.