How woman was recruiting, training Kampala teen girls to sleep with dogs

On Tuesday, July, 20, 2021, a woman alerted police in Kabalagala of 10 children whom she suspected were being trafficked in Muyenga zone b, Bukasa parish in Makindye division.

Acting on the tip-off, police sent teams of both covert and overt officers to ascertain the authenticity of the information to the Papaya holiday home which also acted as a guest house leading to the arrest of one Dorothy Ndagire, 27.

“Upon arrest, Ndagire said she was the CEO of Maya Project Uganda Chapter, a purported NGO based in UK but not registered under the Ministry of Gender,” Luke Owoyesigyire, the Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson told the Nile Post.

“A total of 14 girls aged between four and 19 years were also found at the place and according to Ndagire, their activities at the NGO included education sponsorship to the children who are vulnerable.”

The children were studying from different schools in Kampala between middle class and senior three according to documents found at the scene.

 Further investigations

Further police investigations have since indicated that Ndagire always insisted that the suspected trafficked girls must sleep with dogs in the guest house she had hired as a home to the children.

In order to conceal her identity and her dubious activities, police say the children were trained never to reveal what they do at the place and their homes.

“The girls were living in bad conditions but had been coached by Ndagire, the NGO CEO not to ever reveal who their parents or guardians are and their physical home addresses,” Owoyesigyire said.

According to Police, whereas documents indicating schools for these children were recovered at the scene it is not yet clear whether they are authentic whereas security is also working at finding the whereabouts of the parents of the children.

“Our investigations have revealed that the NGO has been in existence since February 2020 but we need to find out whether the children have been studying at the mentioned schools. Our investigations will also reveal why Ndagire has been training children to sleep with dogs in the same bedroom.”

“While Police has already established that the NGO is not registered with the NGO board, further investigations are ongoing to ascertain the group behind this vice and their intention. The children are currently staying with a professional children’s home as police intensify efforts to trace for their parents,”Owoyesigyire said.

The Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson said charges of trafficking in persons have been slapped on Ndagire .

The law

Section 5 of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2009 says that trafficking in children is where a person recruits, transports, transfers, harbours or receives a child for the purpose of exploitation.