Police raid suspected brothel at church trade show

By Eddie Ssejjoba The Police in Masaka on Friday evening stormed a trade show at Masaka Liberation Square organised by the Catholic diocese and searched a suspected brothel in which they recovered a heap of used condoms a1legedly used by prostitutes. The regional CID boss, southern, Joel Okwir, told The New Vision that armed Police and detectives mounted an operation to arrest suspected prostitutes who had allegedly been operating a brothel at night. He said someone tipped off the prostitutes as the Police officers negotiated their entry with soldiers from Kasijjagirwa barracks who were in charge of security. The prostitutes fled. Okwir said a search at the suspected brothel found used condoms, empty condom packets, basins and jerry-cans which were allegedly used by customers to wash. Okwir said the Police had, the day before, sent detectives who paid sh500 to enter the stall. They were reportedly given young girls who spoke fluent English and kept waiting in partitioned rooms labelled with numbers. Okwir said the girls, allegedly brought from Kampala, demanded between sh4000 and sh5000 for their services and doubled the price for customers who wished to stay longer. The diocesan treasurer and chairman of the show's organising committee, Rev. Fr. Peter Bakka, said the church was not officially aware of the brothel and the Police only sought to tarnish the name of the church. He said people could use condoms anywhere they wanted. Ends.