A shocking BBC investigation has uncovered a Ugandan man accused of running a high-end sex ring in Dubai’s wealthy neighbourhoods, exploiting young Ugandan women who were lured with promises of decent jobs but forced into prostitution.
The report identifies Charles Mwesigwa, a self-proclaimed former London bus driver, as the mastermind behind the network. According to the investigation, Mwesigwa allegedly charged clients up to $1,000 (UGX 3.7M) per woman and provided women for extreme and degrading sexual fetishes.
Several victims revealed that they were subjected to debt bondage, threatened with violence, and abused by wealthy clients. Many were unable to escape because their passports were confiscated and they were constantly monitored.
The investigation also revealed that two women linked to the network — Monic Karungi and Kayla Birungi — died after falling from Dubai high-rise apartments. Authorities recorded both deaths as suicides, but the families dispute this and claim that proper investigations were never carried out.
Undercover BBC reporters recorded Mwesigwa boasting about managing “25 girls” who would do “pretty much everything.” He allegedly used multiple names and rented apartments and vehicles under other people’s identities to avoid detection.
Mwesigwa has denied the allegations, but the evidence gathered by the BBC has sparked outrage in Uganda and renewed calls for action against human trafficking networks operating in the Gulf.
Ugandan activists say this case is part of a wider pattern of exploitation in the booming labour migration industry. Thousands of Ugandans travel to the Middle East every year seeking domestic and security jobs, sending back billions in remittances, but many end up in abusive situations.
“These are our daughters, sisters, and mothers being abused. The government must act now to protect migrant workers and hold perpetrators accountable,” said Sarah Kiyimba, a women’s rights advocate in Kampala.
The families of Monic and Kayla are now calling on both Ugandan and UAE authorities to reopen investigations into their deaths and ensure that those responsible face justice.
Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has yet to issue an official statement, but human rights groups are urging the government to suspend recruitment agencies linked to trafficking until stronger protections are put in place.
