Over 30 arrested as police raid city brothel

Police have arrested a total of 35 people after a raid on a suspected brothel in the city.

According to the Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, at around, through an intelligence-led operation, police raided Base zone in Katwe II parish and arrested 13 female juveniles and 22 male adults.

“The group was found in a brothel. Three pairs of female juveniles were found in compromising positions with male adults,”Owoyesigyire said.

The deputy Kampala police spokesperson explained that it was established that the brothel is owned by one Mustapha Muhwezi, a resident of the same area who was also arrested during the operation.

Owoyesigyire said Muhwezi is suspected to be involved in trafficking girls from upcountry areas to recruit them into acts of prostitution.

He noted that the suspects are currently detained at Katwe and Nateete police stations as investigations into the matter go on.

“They have been charged with various offences ranging from defilement, trafficking in persons, procuring defilement, doing acts likely to cause the spread of an infectious disease, operating a brothel among others,” he noted.

According to Owoyesigyire, Katwe Police station is in touch with the gender-based violence desk to handle the rehabilitation process of the young girls found at the brothel.

In another related development, Police have arrested over 90 people in a night operation targeting people flouting the presidential guidelines on Coronavirus.

The Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire said the group was arrested at midnight at FrontPage hotel in Zzana who were found merrymaking while flouting COVID-19 guidelines.

“Police have preferred to investigate allegations of doing a negligent act likely to spread an infectious disease.  They are currently detained at both Katwe and Nateete police stations.”

He noted that four other entertainment places including Best Hotel in Busega, Happy Boys(Busega), Happy Boys (Namasuba) and Labamba bar in Nateete have continued to violate presidential guidelines on Coronavirus.

“We have conducted  operations in those places in the past and suspects taken to court and sentenced , however we have come to know that the same bars are still operating stealthily,”Owoyesigyire said.