US missionary jailed 10 years for sex assault of Mbale girl
It is not clear whether the money will be paid to Mr Tuininga’s
unnamed victim. Uganda does not have a national crime victim assistance
office and government does not provide monetary compensation to victims
of crime. However, courts have the authority to order the perpetrator to
pay restitution.
In February, Mr Tuininga pleaded guilty and was
taken to jail pending sentencing on. He faced up to 30 years in jail,
according to reports at the time.
Several US media outlets reported that the recommended sentence for Mr Tuininga was seven to nine years.
However,
the judge gave him a 10-year sentence after hearing testimony from the
victim’s caretaker and some of Tuininga’s family members. Tuininga’s
lawyer had requested a sentence of five years.
“I want to recognise
the true bravery displayed by the Ugandan girl for speaking out when she
was assaulted by a trusted person of power from another country,
courageously seeking justice across continents,” US Attorney Peter D.
Leary is quoted in a statement.
“Law enforcement, both abroad and here at home, took on a challenging international case,” he added.
Genesis
In 2019, Mr Tuininga was reported by a
fellow US citizen working at the same church who contacted the US
Embassy in Kampala that the now convict was having sex with Ugandan
girls as young as 14 years who were under the care of their church.
The
US Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security federal agents in
Kampala opened an investigation into the allegations and subsequently
identified the abused minor, who was then aged 14, in May 2019 when
Tuininga had sex with her.
Tuininga had already returned to his home in Georgia but the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Child Exploitation Unit, Atlanta, continued with the investigations. “Eric Tuininga used his trusted position as a pastor to sexually assault a young Ugandan girl in his care, this was a challenging case, but law enforcement worked diligently to ensure that Tuininga did not escape justice for his crime overseas,” said US Attorney Peter D. Leary.
Former Georgia Pastor Pleads Guilty in Rape of Teen During Uganda Mission Trip
https://faithfullymagazine.com/pastor-eric-tuininga-rape-teens-uganda-missions/
FM Editors
A former pastor from Georgia who was conducting missionary work in Uganda when he sexually assaulted a girl under the care of his church has pleaded guilty to his crime in federal court.
Eric Tuininga, 44, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places before Chief U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell. Upon entry of his guilty plea, Tuininga was taken into custody pending his sentencing. Tuininga faces a maximum 30 years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release up to life and a maximum $250,000 fine. In addition, Tuininga will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison.
There is no parole in the federal system. Sentencing has been scheduled for May 3, 2022.
“Eric Tuininga used his trusted position as a pastor to sexually assault a young Ugandan girl in his care,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. “This was a challenging case, but law enforcement worked diligently to ensure that Tuininga did not escape justice for his crime overseas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our national and international law enforcement partners, will do everything in our power to catch child predators and hold them accountable for their crimes.”
“Tuininga was supposed to be someone that could be trusted, but instead he abused that trust and victimized a child,” Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama, said. “HSI and its law enforcement partners will continue to utilize every resource available to identify, arrest and prosecute those who prey upon children.”
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