KAMPALA – The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced an official investigation into serious allegations that its database was illegally accessed to facilitate a brutal sex trafficking ring operating in Dubai.
The probe comes in the wake of a damning BBC Africa investigation that exposed a network allegedly using Ugandan women as sex slaves. NIRA, in a statement, confirmed it is collaborating with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Uganda Police Force to investigate claims of staff misconduct.
The BBC documentary, which has sparked international outrage, revealed a trafficking syndicate run by Charles Mwesigwa, a former London bus driver. Mwesigwa was filmed brazenly telling an undercover reporter that he supplies women for sex parties, with prices starting at $1,000.
The investigation drew a direct link between the traffickers’ operations and NIRA’s sensitive citizen data. It was alleged that individuals connected to the ring had illicit access to the national database, using it to process travel documents for their victims, effectively streamlining their illegal trade.
The report also highlighted the horrific fates of two Ugandan women, Monic Karungi and Kayla Murungi, who were linked to Mwesigwa’s network. Both women died in Dubai under controversial circumstances after falling from high-rise apartments. Their deaths were officially ruled as suicides, a conclusion now being scrutinized in light of the BBC’s findings.
The documentary detailed the degrading and violent acts the trafficked women were subjected to, painting a grim picture of exploitation facilitated by alleged corruption at home.
NIRA’s decision to publicly address the allegations underscores the gravity of the situation. The authority is tasked with safeguarding the biometric and personal data of all Ugandan citizens, and a breach of this magnitude, if proven true, would represent a significant national security and ethical failure.
The joint investigation with the police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will seek to verify the claims, identify any complicit NIRA officials, and determine the extent of the data misuse. The findings will be closely watched both locally and internationally as Uganda confronts its connection to a transnational criminal enterprise.
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