Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have detained Charles Mwesigwa,famously known as Abbey, a Ugandan man accused of orchestrating a degrading sex-trade network that preyed on vulnerable women in Dubai’s upscale neighbourhoods.
A Dubai law firm confirmed to the BBC that Mwesigwa is being held at the Central Prison Centre in Al Awir.
The firm noted that his arrest was triggered by an Interpol Uganda red notice. The Ugandan Embassy in Abu Dhabi also acknowledged the detention last week, stating.
“Investigations of human trafficking are ongoing and action has been taken by the authorities of the UAE.”
Mwesigwa first came to international attention through a BBC World Service undercover investigation.
He was secretly filmed claiming he could provide women for sex parties at a starting price of $1,000 (about shs 3.7 million). In the footage, he boasted that the women could do “pretty much everything” clients wanted and further alleged that he had once worked as a London bus driver.
The same investigation unearthed disturbing testimonies from young Ugandan women who said they were deceived with promises of hotel or supermarket jobs, only to be trapped in prostitution upon arrival in Dubai.
One woman, identified only as “Mia,” recounted that clients sometimes demanded humiliating acts, including being defecated on.
Mwesigwa has denied all allegations, insisting that he merely helped women find housing and introduced “big spenders” to his parties.
The revelations caused an uproar in Uganda, reaching the floor of parliament. Cabinet ministers described the findings as “disturbing” and vowed to work with Interpol to bring the accused to justice.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja directed the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to follow up the matter and brief cabinet on progress.
Meanwhile, serious questions linger around the deaths of two women linked to Mwesigwa’s circle. Monic Karungi and Kayla Birungi both died after falling from high-rise apartments in Dubai.
While local authorities classified the deaths as suicides, friends and family members expressed doubt and called for further inquiries.
Mwesigwa himself maintained that Dubai police had already investigated the incidents, though the force has not responded to BBC requests for comment.
Despite Mwesigwa’s detention, the full extent of his activities and the fate of the victims remain uncertain, leaving the case at the centre of public scrutiny in both Uganda and the UAE.
