Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa, recently exposed by the BBC for running a sex trafficking network in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is now facing calls for his arrest.
Last week, the BBC released a documentary revealing how Mwesigwa lures young women from Uganda with promises of decent jobs in Dubai, only to force them into prostitution upon arrival. The report also alleged that women who tried to escape his control were killed.
The film was inspired by the story of Monica Karungi, a Ugandan woman who died in Dubai in 2022 after allegedly jumping from a high-rise building. According to the BBC investigation, Karungi had been trafficked under the guise of employment opportunities and later coerced into sex work. The documentary further suggests that her death may not have been a suicide, but rather a planned murder linked to Mwesigwa after a fallout between them.
During the undercover investigation, Mwesigwa was caught on camera admitting to running the trafficking operation, apparently unaware that he was being recorded.
Following the revelations, Uganda’s Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Barugahara, demanded that Mwesigwa be arrested. “This man featured in the BBC’s in-depth report must be brought to justice. We will work with Interpol to ensure he faces the law. The desperation of our youth due to unemployment should never be exploited to turn them into sex objects. These crimes cannot be tolerated,” Barugahara said.
It remains unclear whether Ugandan authorities, in collaboration with international partners, have initiated steps to apprehend Mwesigwa, who currently resides in Dubai.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
