Police rescue 131 people as 2 women arrested over human trafficking
Mr Fred Enanga, the police spokesperson, addresses journalists in Kampala on June 26, 2023. PHOTO/ FRANK BAGUMA
What you need to know:
- Police have named the recruitment agencies that surrendered the 131 victims.
Police in Kampala have detained two female suspects for allegedly trafficking 131 people in the Middle East, authorities said.
The July 31 arrests followed an alert from the community in Akright along the Entebbe Road. Locals alerted police in Kajjansi, who raided a rented hub where the victims were transferred from Nansana.
“The facts gathered indicate that a one Musa Suna, without registering his World Gate training centre, was conducting a training for 131 persons recruited by different agents and gathered them in a home in Nansana,” police spokesperson Fred Enanga noted.
According to police, the victims had for several months been training in catering and cleaning services.
“They were initially confined in a fenced home and then transferred to Akright Cell on July 22 where they were recovered from the home of Alex Mary Nantongo. All their (victims) phones were taken from them to block them from contacting any relatives or friends,” police said.
Rashida Namubiru, a trainer and Ramathan Hakim were arrested as suspects in the alleged trafficking.
“They trained the victims from a home that was neither registered, nor licensed to do that kind of work,” police observed.
Police added that 8 recruitment agencies have since surrendered the victims and they include Cornel Recruitment Co, Janulani – Kalerwe, Swift in Wakaliga, Masaba in Kawempe (Kutano), Trinity Travel Agency in Nkrumah (Makayi Plaza), Herbrah International in Bukoto, Wamba Recruitment Agency and Labaf Solution in Minister’s Village, Ntinda- all in Kampala Metropolitan.
In Uganda, cases of human trafficking increased by more than 400 per cent in the last five years, official government data shows.
"As the joint security agencies, we are committed to doing everything within our means to combat the dangerous and exploitative crime of human trafficking. Efforts are in place to locate all other perpetrators of human trafficking who are part of this racket, and ensure they are arraigned before the courts of law," Enanga emphasized.
