The Uganda Police, in collaboration with State House Anti-Corruption Unit, has arrested the General Manager of Middle East Consultants, Benon Kunywana and another official, Owen Ayamba, for allegedly getting money by false pretense with a promise to provide employment in the Middle East and also for failing to refund the claims from 27 of the victims. The 2 officials are also charged with torturing the boys and girls who attempted to do a follow up on their claims totaling Shs. 51 million. Ayamba was accused of trafficking girls. The accused were paraded before the press this afternoon at the Anti- Corruption Unit Offices in Kampala.
The Head of Anti-Corruption Unit, Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema said “Labour externalization of Ugandans has been going on and on the 17th July 2019, we launched an investigation into the complaints that involve 27 youths. We have got a list of 30 companies in labour externalization involved in the mistreatment of Ugandans. Four of these are the key players in the suffering of Ugandans.” She added that the Government recently intercepted 27 girls who were about to be trafficked by Owen Ayamba.
Lt. Col. Nakalema informed the media that Benon Kunywana has been accused of alleged torture of the claimants at the Middle East Consultants premises. She observed that the aggrieved youth failed to have their claims honoured for a period of 2 years. She, therefore, appealed to the Uganda Police to expeditiously conclude investigations adding that they were ready to charge 4 of the 7 companies that are currently under investigation.
The Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, disclosed that the Force had received the complaints from State House Anti-Corruption Unit. He noted that the suspects got money from the victims promising them jobs in the Middle East but the promise yielded no fruits. He said that Ayamba was arrested with forged documents as he proceeded with plans to traffic 27 girls.
The General Manager of Middle East Consultants, Kunywana, refuted allegations of torturing the claimants and they were in the process of paying out Shs. 27 million today and that the remainder would be cleared on Friday 23rd August 2019.
One of the victims, Lawrence Kibira, revealed that the 2 officials have been brutal to the youths. Lilian Nambooze, another affected victim revealed she has a claim Shs. 4 million seventy thousand against the employment firm. One of the victims showed injuries that he suffered due to the alleged torture.
The claimants thanked the Anti-Corruption Unit in State House for the exemplary role in fighting crime adding that some other Government offices had failed them in their plight.