Online sex racket: Four suspects remanded to Luzira Prison

WAKISO - Four suspects linked to the alleged online sex racket have been charged with aggravated trafficking in persons and remanded to Luzira prison.

The four were charged with aggravated trafficking in persons contrary to section 2(1) (a) and 3 (c) 4 (a) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, Cap 131.

They included: Vivian Kobela, 21, a resident of Mbalwa, Namugongo, in Wakiso district; Martha Lubango, 20, a resident of Kyaliwajjala, in Wakiso district;  Irene Nazziwa,22; and a security guard identified as Juma Oguti, 28.

While appearing before Kira Chief Magistrate Ivan Seguya, Kobela, Lubango and Nazziwa were charged with 26 counts, all related to aggravated human trafficking, while the only male suspect, Aguti, was charged with 22 counts, also related to human trafficking.

Since the offences are capital in nature, the presiding magistrate asked the accused not to plead to the charges as they can only be tried by the High Court.

However, two of the six accused persons, including Madina Namatovu,20, and Aminah Nalubega,26, had not yet reported back to police, having been released on police bond from Kira Division a week before.

In her submission, State prosecutor Kate Basuuta revealed that investigations into the matter were still ongoing, as they also hunt for the remaining two principal suspects, who are currently on the run. This prompted the presiding Chief Magistrate to adjourn the case to July 2.

Particulars of the offence

Kobela, Nalubega, Namatovu, Lubango, Nazziwa, Oguti, and others still at large between the months of September 2025 and May 2026 at Mbalwa in Wakiso district allegedly recruited or transported or received or harboured Saida Nangobi,17, and others by means of fraud or deception or abuse or position of vulnerability for the purpose of exploitation, to wit, harmful child labour and sexual exploitation.

Investigators said the lavish lifestyle displayed on social media became one of the network's most effective recruitment tools. Beyond online livestreaming, the Police believe many of the girls were also deployed to exclusive Airbnb parties and private hotel gatherings organised across Namugongo, Kira, Bulindo, Kisaasi, Najeera, Mukono and other affluent neighbourhoods.

Vivian Kobela, and Martha Lubango leaving Kira Chief Magistrates court on Friday, June, 5, 2026. (Credit: Stuart Yiga)

According to investigators, some organisers allegedly drugged food and drinks during these events to exploit vulnerable girls more easily.

"In situations like this, these girls become vulnerable because they can easily contract deadly diseases such as HIV. Despite our efforts to suppress such activities, many still organise them secretly," a detective said.

Other victims claimed they were groomed to become escorts for wealthy and influential individuals staying in prominent hotels across Kampala and Wakiso, with organisers allegedly collecting the largest share of the money paid.

As the investigation widened, attention shifted towards Martin Male, one of the fugitive suspects, believed to have strong foreign connections and financial backers helping sustain the operation remotely.

The Kira operation, detectives said, has now exposed far more than a single criminal racket; it has revealed the dangerous intersection between poverty, digital influence, organised exploitation, drug abuse and the growing desperation among vulnerable young people chasing survival in an unforgiving economy.

According to the 2025 Police Annual Crime Report, Uganda recorded 12,606 sex-related offences, compared to 14,425 cases in 2024. The report indicates that majority of victims were female juveniles. Police also registered 1,569 narcotics and psychotropic substance cases during the same period.

But long after the cameras were unplugged, the suspects disappeared, and the gates in Mbalwa were shut, one haunting question continues to trouble investigators: how many more hidden houses across Kampala and its surrounding suburbs are still operating behind closed curtains, glowing ring lights and carefully curated social media pages — quietly turning vulnerable young women into commodities for a global digital market?

What the law says 

Uganda's Anti-Pornography Act of 2014 outlaws the production, trafficking, and promotion of explicit materials.

While the Constitutional Court annulled several vague provisions and the "indecent clothing" ban in 2021, the government continues enforcing the law by actively blocking explicit websites and prosecuting distributors. Penalties include up to 10 years in prison for general pornography and 15 years in prison for child pornography.