Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa, a Ugandan national who the BBC exposed as the head of an illegal network that abused women, has been arrested in Dubai after a major investigation by BBC Africa Eye reporters revealed the methods he used to lure young girls into selling their bodies.
The BBC’s highly-coordinated investigation revealed that Mwesigwa lured scores of Ugandan girls to Dubai on business trips, promising them opportunities such as working in hotels or shops, but once there, they were forced to have illicit sex with Mwesigwa’s clients.
A BBC reporter posing as a client told him that the girls’ prices started at $1,000. He boasted that the women would do “anything” the client wanted.
Information obtained indicates that Mwesigwa is currently being held at Al Awir Central Prison in Dubai, although the charges against him have not yet been made public. The man was arrested on a warrant issued by the Ugandan police branch of Interpol.
The Ugandan consulate in Abu Dhabi has previously said it is investigating and taking action against the trafficking of women. The BBC report also featured girls who said some of the network’s clients forced them to perform horrific acts that caused them pain and suffering.
Mwesigwa, for his part, has denied any wrongdoing and has only helped women with housing and social connections. However, two women linked to his network have died after falling from high-rise buildings, and their families are demanding a thorough investigation into their cases.
Other women working on the site say they believe the two girls were deliberately thrown from high-rise buildings after they refused to perform certain acts that were forced on them.
This incident has caused a stir in the Ugandan parliament, with members of parliament and government officials describing it as “shocking”, promising to work closely with Interpol and the UAE police to bring those involved in this network to justice.
