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⚠️ Warning: This story contains disturbing content and graphic descriptions of sexual exploitation.
The alleged ringleader of a sex-trafficking network that exploited vulnerable women in Dubai has been detained in the United Arab Emirates.
Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa, exposed in a recent investigation, was filmed by an undercover reporter offering women for sex parties starting at $1,000 (£750). He boasted that the women could provide “pretty much everything” clients wanted and claimed to be a former London bus driver.
It remains unclear what charges, if any, Mwesigwa faces. UAE authorities have not yet issued a public statement, but a Dubai law firm confirmed that he is being held at Al Awir Central Prison. Interpol Uganda has issued a red notice against him, requesting his detention pending extradition.
The Ugandan embassy in Abu Dhabi has acknowledged that “investigations of human trafficking are ongoing and action has been taken by the authorities of the UAE,” a statement believed to refer to Mwesigwa’s detention.
The investigation revealed how young Ugandan women were lured to Dubai with promises of jobs in supermarkets and hotels, only to be trapped in debt and coerced into prostitution. Victims described extreme abuse, with one woman, identified only as Mia, recounting how a client regularly demanded degrading acts. Prostitution is illegal in Dubai.
Mwesigwa has denied the allegations, insisting he only helped women find housing and socialized with wealthy clients. “I am just a party person who invites big spenders on my tables,” he said.
The investigation also uncovered the deaths of two women linked to his network, Monic Karungi and Kayla Birungi, who fell from high-rise apartments. Their deaths were ruled suicides, but relatives say the police failed to properly investigate.
The revelations have sparked outrage in Uganda, where MPs described the findings as “disturbing” and vowed to work with Interpol to pursue justice.
