179 victims of human trafficking rescued in Wakiso
Police on Wednesday arrested a suspect on charges related to human trafficking and rescued 179 victims who had been recruited and were supposed to be taken to Kenya for employment.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, said the victims comprised of 99 males and 80 females.
He said the victims were taken to Kakiri Police station for necessary arrangements to facilitate their return to their respective homes.
“On Tuesday August 23, 2023, at about 3:00 pm, our officers received intelligence regarding Harriet Nasuuna, a 38-year-old resident of Nampunge village in Kakiri sub-county, Wakiso district who was allegedly involved in the recruitment of people aged 18 and above, purportedly offering them opportunities for employment in Kenya,” Onyango said.
He revealed that at around 7:00 pm, the suspect was taken into custody by the police to make a statement.
“Upon investigation, it was discovered that she had gathered youths from various regions across Uganda, including Nansana, Kyengera, Bukomero, Butambala, Kasese, Fort Portal, Kyegegwa, and others, enticing them with promises of a better future.
Both male and female victims had congregated at Nasuuna's residence in Nampunge village, Kakiri sub-county, Wakiso district, awaiting transportation to Nairobi, Kenya,” Onyango added.
Onyango said during interrogation, the suspect said that she had been assigned the task of recruiting energetic young men and women by a certain William Mugenyi, an 18-year-old resident of Kapeka Semuto in Nakaseke district.
Mugenyi, reportedly a S.3 student at Kapeka Secondary School, was allegedly acting as an agent on behalf of his sister, identified as Carol, associated with the Humble Company in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Further investigation revealed that the victims were being lured into positions such as waiters, waitresses, supermarket attendants, and casual laborers at St. Mary's Coffee Company in Kenya,” Onyango noted.
He said the primary suspect remains in custody at Kakiri police station.
“Efforts are underway to arrest the individual known as Mugenyi, to help with investigations into the matter,” he added.
This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.
Fair Use Notice: The PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault is dedicated to advancing understanding of various social justice issues, including human trafficking and related topics. Some of the material presented on this website may contain copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to promote education and awareness of these important issues. There is no other central database we are aware of, so we put this together for both historical and research purposes. Articles are categorized and tagged for ease of use. We believe that this constitutes a ‘fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information on fair use, please visit: “17 U.S. Code § 107 – Limitations on exclusive rights” on Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute.
ABOUT PBJ LEARNING
PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials online course is used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to potential victims. Learn on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.
More stories like this can be found in your PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault.
EYES ON TRAFFICKING
This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.
ABOUT PBJ LEARNING
PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials online course is used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to potential victims. Learn on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.
More stories like this can be found in your PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault.