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SALT LAKE CITY — A judge has ordered four men to stand trial on charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in Midvale.
Third District Judge Linda Jones determined Thursday that there is enough evidence to support the charges against all four men. She noted that each of the men denied involvement at the start, but later admitted to at least some involvement.
"Their change in testimony supports culpability," Jones said.
Christian Nkunda-Makoma, 26, of West Valley City; Aime Byuma, 34, of West Valley City; Patrick Bigirmana, 26, of Midvale; and Juvidh Ndabereye, 23, of South Salt Lake, are each charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault, first-degree felonies. The four are also charged with three counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. Byuma is charged with giving false identification to a police officer, a class C misdemeanor.
Police say Bigirmana met the 15-year-old on a dating app and invited her over for a party in September, but when she arrived it was just her and the four men. The girl claims the men "commanded" her to drink alcohol and then took turns assaulting her, according to the charging documents.
The preliminary hearing began on Jan. 5, but the judge waited to make a ruling until after attorneys for the four men were able to review police interviews with their clients.
Jones said there was evidence that each of the men were involved in detaining the girl and holding her in their apartment and using ruses to keep her in the apartment. The judge said the men told the girl they had requested an Uber driver to come get her, but then cancelled the Uber ride, and they also told her the pool was closed when it was not, stopping her from leaving for the pool.
Jones said the girl described multiple instances of sexual assault from different men and that each of the men had admitted to some sexual actions in interviews with police.
Charging documents state that the girl had the Life360 app on her phone and contacted friends while in the bathroom, and the police were able to locate her and help transport her to the hospital.
An arraignment for each of the four men is scheduled for June 10.
