Uganda’s State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, has directed the arrest of Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa, a Ugandan national accused of running a sex-trafficking ring in Dubai.
“This gentleman, featured in the investigative @BBCWorld story, must be arrested. We shall work with @Interpol to ensure he is brought to justice,” Balaam posted on X, condemning the abuse of desperate Ugandan youth.
He added: “The desperation of our young people for income and employment should never be exploited by treating them as sex objects. Such acts are despicable.”
BBC Undercover Findings
The BBC World Service investigation tracked Mwesigwa, who claims to have once been a London bus driver, to Jumeirah Village Circle, a middle-class neighbourhood in Dubai. Reporters posing as event organisers filmed him offering women for sex parties at $1,000 (UGX 3.7m) per night, with additional fees for “crazy stuff.”
According to the investigation by BBC journalist Runako Celina, Mwesigwa allegedly manages around 25 women, using intermediaries’ names to rent apartments and vehicles. One of his former associates, Troy, revealed that nightclub security staff are bribed to grant access for women to meet wealthy clients, including celebrities and businessmen.
Voices of the Victims
Victims recounted harrowing experiences of deception. Many were lured to Dubai with promises of supermarket or hotel jobs, only to be trapped in prostitution.
“Mia” (not her real name) said she was told upon arrival that she owed $2,700 (UGX 10m), a debt that doubled within two weeks. “That means you have to work hard, hard, hard, pleading for men to come and sleep with you,” she said.
Another victim, “Lexi,” revealed she was offered AED 15,000 ($4,084) to endure degrading acts including gang rape, urination, and being filmed eating faeces. She claimed Dubai police ignored her pleas: “You Africans cause problems for each other. We don’t want to get involved.”
Deaths Linked to the Network
The trafficking syndicate has also been tied to the suspicious deaths of Ugandan women in Dubai.
In 2021, Kayla Birungi died under unclear circumstances. A toxicology report seen by the BBC revealed no drugs or alcohol in her system, despite police claims.
In 2022, Monic Karungi, who had travelled from western Uganda seeking supermarket work, died after falling from a balcony. She reportedly owed Mwesigwa more than $27,000 (UGX 101m) before her death. Her body was never returned home and is believed to lie in an unmarked grave at Dubai’s Al Qusais Cemetery.
Wider Labour Migration Risks
Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development estimates that over 165,000 Ugandans are currently working in Gulf states, sending home remittances worth more than $1.2 billion (UGX 4.5 trillion) annually. But human rights groups warn that trafficking and forced labour are widespread, with at least 88 Ugandans reported dead in the Middle East between 2019 and 2023.
Mariam Mwiza, an activist who supports rescued victims, said her organisation has handled over 700 abuse cases. “We get cases of people who were promised supermarket jobs and end up sold as prostitutes,” she noted.
Accused Responds
While authorities in Kampala pledge to work with Interpol and UAE security to apprehend him, Mwesigwa has dismissed the BBC’s allegations. He insists he only “invites big spenders” to parties and is not involved in prostitution.
