A heartless Ugandan woman has been thrown in prison for forcing her stepson to swallow 46 needles, according to allegations by state prosecution.
Labelled by some as a stepmother from hell, the woman is aged 45 and hails from Mitooma District in Western Uganda.
Identified as Juliet Tushabomwe, the woman was arraigned before the Mitooma Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Days ago, Tushabomwe was arrested after allegations emerged that had been forcing her stepson named Samuel Akamumpa to swallow the needles, and that the action happened in a space of about two weeks.
For about two weeks, the boy had complained of excruciating pain in the abdomen. It was not until his aunt Eunice Birungi took him to hospital for medical checkup that it was discovered that he had needles in his body.
The boy who was forced to swallow needles is still hospitalized at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. He underwent surgery for the removal of the needles.
The father of the child who was forced to swallow sewing needles is a key witness in the case.
Identified as Simon Twinomugisha, the father of the boy accused Tushabomwe of revealed that the hatred and resentment against the boy. According to Twinomugisha’s statement, Tushabomwe did not want the boy to meet his biological mother.
“My wife did not want my son to speak to his mother. She would tell me to stop him or else she would chase him away,” Twinomugisha is said to have told police in his statement.
She pleaded not guilty before the presiding magistrate, Gibson Muhangi, remanded her to prison until June 14, when she’s expected to be returned to court for further mention of her case while the victim is in hospital fighting for his life.
