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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have stormed a guest house on Muyenga Hill in Kampala and found 14 girls living in terrible conditions while being prepared to be taken to a European destination.
Kampala Metropolitan Deputy Police Spokesperson, Luke Oweyesigyire said that the 14 girls were found at Papaya Holiday Home in Muyenga B Zone, Makindye Division.
“We went to the guest house and found the girls living in bad conditions,” said Oweyesigyire, adding that the girls have since refused to give information regarding where they came from and even their particulars.
He said a whistle blower at the guest house got concerned that the care taker Ndagire was making the girls share the same room and bed with the puppies.
Police had also been told that the girls were always seen moving with, and carrying the dogs all the time. This is the information that that led to the raid at the guest house.
Most of the girls are minors at the age of about 14 who by law cannot be employed, nor travel abroad without parental/guardian’s consent. Only one girl is said to be 19 and were allegedly prepared to be taken to the United Kingdom for unspecified duties.
Acting upon a tip off by concerned residents in Makindye Division, a Kampala suburb, the Police swung into action and rescued the girls who were destined to travel to the United Kingdom for unspecified work.
He said that the girls aged 14 years with an older one aged 19 who claims to be a Senior Six student of Namungoona Parents Secondary School in Rubaga Division, were being kept a guest house.
Oweyesigyire said that they were under the custody of a lady called Dorothy Ndagire who purports to operate a Non-Government Organisation called Maya Project, Uganda Chapter working in collaboration with another in the UK but not registered under the laws of Uganda.
“We went to the guest house and found the girls living in bad conditions and the information we got is that they were being forced to sleep with dogs,” said Oweyesigyire, adding that the girls have since refused to give information regarding where they came from and even their particulars.
Oweyesigyire revealed that the Police have arrested and detained Ndagire amid ongoing investigations and the girls have since been taken to a home awaiting information where the girls came from and who their parents are.
“These are children whom we cannot expose to the media, but they are currently under shelter and care of professional people who will speak to them and be able to find out their parents,” said Oweyesigyire.
He reveals that a charge of trafficking in children has been preferred against Ndagire.
Immaculate Owomugisha, a Social Justice Lawyer working as the Head of Advocacy at the Uganda Network On Law, Ethics and HIV/AIDS – UGANET said that the girls are being kept under shelter for safety as the Police find their homes.
“The girls are in shelter as the police investigates the case and those found responsible shall be subjected to the law, but we are taking care of them as well as facilitating their healthy needs,” she added.
Section 5 of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2009 provides for an offence of Trafficking in children where a person who recruits, transports, transfers, harbours or receives a child for the purpose of exploitation shall commits an offence of aggravated trafficking in children and may be liable to suffer death.
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