Basalirwa Derrick Kigenyi the deputy Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson showing the name of one of the perpetrators.
Twenty-two Ugandans are stuck in Myanmar/ Burma having been trafficked by the perpetrators in disguise of finding them jobs. They were taken to war ravaged areas.
The men are identified as Luyima Mahad, Kalanzi Andrew Mucho, Luyima Mahadi, Lubega Alex, Musoke Hakram, Ssemogerere Fred, Kawuma, Nabimba Lawrence, Mwesezi Gideon, Kigunddu Joshua, Abdul Muwonge, Constant Ssemujju Brian Lukyamuzi, Yusufu TumwineY, Sulait Yawe, Lawrence Bbossa Usama, and Sebyala Alex Usama, and Sebyala Alex while females areNamugenyi Shamira, Zzalwango Flavia, Kimuli Brenda, Nalwadda Faridah and Namutebi Jacinta.
According to the deputy Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson, Basalirwa Derrick Kigenyi, victims were trafficked via Thailand en-route to Burma. He also said that there are a sizeable number of Uganda in Thailand working there without even payment yet they are employed in very risky jobs.
While addressing reporters in a joint security weekly press briefing at Naguru Police Headquarters, Kigenyi urged relatives and friends of the victims to avail the necessary information to police and sisters security agencies so as to help rescue these victims and return them to Uganda.
“Traffickers disguise as they’re getting employment opportunities abroad to their victims but they don’t tell them were and which kind of jobs they end up taking them to Thailand and then to Barma of recent.” Kigenyi said.
He further said that they in the end take them to war areas where they are used by terrorist fighters in Burma to steal money from banks some are even killed in the process.
In a related scenario, two other Ugandans have fallen victim of drug traffickers and are languishing in Thailand and Qatar jails respectively.
Tumusiime Micheal went missing on 10th November, 2023, his relatives having searched for him in vain, according to Kigenyi, they reported to Jinja Road Police Station on 17th of the same month which prompted police and immigration office to mount a joint search and it was discovered that he left the country on 10th November this year.
The documents at immigration office indicated that he went to Qatar upon contacting the authorities there it was also discovered that he was arrested and sentenced for drug trafficking having found him with the ban nicotine items and he is now serving 25 years in jail.
Nanduga Rita another Ugandan was also sentenced and jailed in Thailand having been found with drugs. She is now serving seven years and six months.
“ The traffickers take their victim to Nairobi using buses from where they process their passports and they also use Joma Kintta Airport en route to the final destination like Qatar, Thailand and Burma on reaching in such countries the victims are given bags which contain the drugs the perpetrators move without any luggage and in the end security operatives in those countries arrests the one with the luggage.
By George Bukenya