A BBC investigation has unmasked a Ugandan man accused of exploiting vulnerable women in Dubai’s wealthy neighbourhoods. The suspect, identified as Charles Mwesigwa, a self-proclaimed former London bus driver also known as Abbey, is alleged to have run a sex trafficking network targeting young Ugandan women.
According to the report, Mwesigwa lured women from Uganda with promises of legitimate jobs in the Gulf. Once in Dubai, however, the women were allegedly trapped in debt bondage, told they owed him money for flights, visas, and accommodation, and forced into sex work as the only way to repay.
Undercover footage captured Mwesigwa boasting about managing “25 girls” who would do “pretty much everything” for his wealthy clients at prices starting from \$1,000 (UGX 3.7 million). He was also recorded saying the women were “open-minded” and could be provided for extreme fetishes at so-called “porta potty” sex parties.
A man who once worked with him, identified as Troy, accused Mwesigwa of “selling humans for money” and said the women had no escape route. “If the girls refused, he would lock them inside until they agreed,” Troy told the BBC.
The investigation also highlighted the deaths of two Ugandan women tied to Mwesigwa’s circle. In 2021, Kayla Birungi fell from a high-rise apartment in Dubai’s Al Barsha area, followed in 2022 by 23-year-old influencer Monic Karungi, also known as Mona Kizz, who died in similar circumstances.
While both deaths were officially recorded as suicides, their families believe the cases were not properly investigated.
Responding to the claims, Mwesigwa denied running a sex ring, insisting he was simply a socialite known for hosting parties with “big spenders.” He admitted knowing the deceased women but said their deaths were investigated by Dubai police and had no link to him.
“These are all false allegations,” he told the BBC. “I’m just a party person who knows many girls. Monic died with her passport, which shows no one was demanding her money.”
Ugandan activists say the case exposes the dangers of the booming labour migration industry to the Gulf. While remittances from migrant workers bring billions into Uganda’s economy, many young women remain vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and trafficking.
“This is a painful reminder of what so many of our sisters face abroad,” one activist said. “The lack of justice for victims only deepens the suffering of families back home.”
