Ugandans are reeling after news broke that Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa, the man accused of masterminding a sickening trafficking network targeting Ugandan women in Dubai, has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates and now faces extradition back home.
Mwesigwa, a former London bus driver, was the subject of a damning BBC undercover investigation that exposed him bragging about supplying women for parties at $1,000 a night. He told an undercover reporter that his girls could offer “pretty much everything” clients wanted — even the most degrading acts.
He is currently being held at Al Awir Central Prison in Dubai, according to a local law firm. While UAE authorities have stayed quiet, Uganda secured an Interpol Red Notice demanding his arrest and extradition.
Victims told the BBC they were promised jobs in supermarkets and hotels, but once in Dubai, they were trapped by fake debts and forced into prostitution.
One woman, using the name Mia for safety, described horrifying abuse: “Some clients even requested we do degrading acts like defecation.” Her testimony paints a dark picture of the extreme exploitation happening in some of Dubai’s most exclusive neighborhoods.
Mwesigwa, of course, denies everything. He insists he was only “helping women find accommodation” and introducing them to his so-called wealthy friends, claiming they attended parties on their own free will.
But the BBC exposé also linked him to two Ugandan women — Monic Karungi and Kayla Birungi — who tragically died after falling from Dubai high-rises. Authorities called them suicides, but families and friends remain unconvinced, demanding deeper investigations.
Back in Kampala, lawmakers are furious. Some MPs have called the revelations “disturbing” and pledged to work closely with Interpol to make sure justice is served. If brought back to Uganda, Mwesigwa could face human trafficking and exploitation charges under national law.
