The territorial police in Rwenzori East, Kasese district have in custody two suspects for allegedly trafficking in persons.

The suspects have been identified as Shafik Muhindo, a 21-year-old supervisor at Kasanda Sugar Company and a resident of Nyarukongu village, and Bernard Masereka, a 19-year-old boda-boda rider of Munango village in Kasese district.

In a Statement released by police on October 24, 2023, SCP Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson stated that, on September 26, 2023, at around 10am, Masereka, the boda-boda rider picked Ferguson Mumbere from Kasese Taxi Park and caused his disappearance.

“Upon arrest of a 19-year-old boda-boda rider, he said that, he was hired by Muhindo Shafik, to recruit teenagers and young adults, aged between 14 and 18 years, to work as casual labourers in a sugar factory in Kasanda district,” Enanga stated.

Enanga noted that, on October 10, 2023, Muhindo was arrested from Kilembe in Kasese, where he had gone to recruit more children. He indicated that, Muhindo had so far recruited 24 children, under the instructions of Emma, a manager at Kasanda sugar factory.

He stated that Emma, hires vehicles from Kasese to transport the children to Kasanda sugar factory, where the driver is paid on arrival.

Efforts by police are still in place to have Mumbere aged 15, a resident of Katadoba cell, Central division in Kasese district, recovered.

In 2022, the government reported that, 1,200 incidents of human trafficking were being investigated, a significant increase compared to 421 incidents in 2021.  Of the 1,200 reported incidents of human trafficking, at least 526 involved exploitation in Uganda, and at least 63 involved exploitation abroad.