A ministry of internal affairs official has warned landlords to be wary of human traffickers as they rent out their houses or guest rooms.

Juliet Akello, senior immigration officer, said landlords should look out for especially suspicious foreigners that stay in their rented property.

“Landlords should be very careful with who they let in their houses," she told New Vision in an interview on Thursday at the internal affairs ministry offices on Old Port Bell Road in Kampala.

"There is a case in court where the suspect abandoned a [group] of Burundian girls in a guest house and was using them with no payment and no feeding," she said.

Akello pointed to a recent case of alleged sex trafficking reported by partner agencies, where a group of young Nepalese women aged between 19 and 34 were reportedly found in a brothel in Kibuli, Kampala.

“The ladies were found in action," she said.

"Some were already stripped down to their underwear. They dance to entertain, but upon interrogation, they revealed that after dancing, a preferred girl is taken to offer sexual services to a client."

Akello said further investigations revealed that such victims of sex trafficking depart from their countries believing they are being hired as entertainers. But upon reaching their destination, their contracts are altered — without their knowledge — to add an element of sexual activity.

“They say a fee is paid to the owner of the brothel, who eventually pays what he deems fit for them. These young ladies may not even know the money bargained for. A fixed price is already set, so they are exploited."

The internal affairs ministry partners with civil society organizations to rehabilitate unwitting victims.

In the latest case, a total of 10 suspects found with eight young Nepalese women were temporarily held at the immigration centre while investigations were conducted.

'Irregular'

Akello said suspected victims of sex trafficking entering Uganda are intercepted and with the help of an interpreter for those who cannot speak English, more information is extracted from them.

For those being trafficked out of the country, there are reported holding places, where they are kept before being transported to the airport for departure.

“A few that could reveal information would lead us to mainly areas of Entebbe Road and Najjanankumbi," said Akello.

Further interrogation with people found in holding premises reveal that the perpetrators possess forged stamps, work permits and immigration documents.

“Oftentimes, we actually find that these perpetrators are irregular in the country. The girls got into the country legally but they all have fake post-entry documents,” said the internal affairs official.

In July this year, the territorial Police in Kampala Metropolitan North and Nansana Division raided a home harbouring 131 people, reportedly under the guise of preparing them for the labour market in the Middle East.

Police said the home was not registered or licensed to operate. Two suspects were arrested over alleged trafficking in persons.

'Questions and body language'

Meanwhile, immigration reports revealed by Akello indicate that recent human trafficking trends in Uganda reflect the routes of Muyenga, Buziga, Kansanga, Bunga and Kabalagala.

The ministry says it has also experienced a trend of Ethiopians being trafficked into Uganda as a transit route to their final destination. It is said that the victims come into the country by road from Kenya through the borders of Malaba and Busia.

Those intercepted within Kampala have been known to have Lebanon, Libya and Dubai as their targeted destinations.

“Our officers are trained to spot victims of human trafficking by asking a few questions and spotting body language."