A new BBC documentary has revealed how young Ugandan women are being lured to Dubai with promises of good jobs, only to end up trapped in sex trafficking networks. The documentary, titled Death in Dubai, shows how traffickers and recruitment agents promise work as maids, models, or influencers. After arrival, many women have their passports taken and are pushed into abuse and exploitation, including degrading acts at private “Porta Potty” parties.
The documentary shares painful stories from women who survived. They said local agents in Uganda told them Dubai would change their lives. Many borrowed money to pay for travel. Instead of the better future they expected, they were kept in rooms, threatened, and told they had no choice but to obey. Debts and fear kept them silent.
Families in Uganda are mourning daughters who never came home. Among them are Monic Karungi, known online as Mona Kizz, and Kayla Birungi. Both died in Dubai in separate incidents that were officially labeled suicides. Their relatives believe the deaths are linked to the trafficking networks exposed by the BBC investigation.
The investigation also names a man it says plays a key role in this trade: Charles “Abbey” Mwesigwa. Undercover footage shows a man identified as Mwesigwa offering women to clients and talking about extreme requests at high-paying parties. He is said to handle many women and to quote prices that rise with more “crazy” demands. He denied the accusations when confronted, saying the claims were false and that he is only a social figure who knows many people.
Reporters and victims told the BBC that some women were recruited with false job offers, then trapped by debts for visas, tickets, and housing, and pressured into sex work to “repay” those costs. A former associate claimed that women who refused were confined until they agreed. These accounts match patterns described by survivors in the film.
The problem is wider than a few cases. Every year, many Ugandan women travel to Gulf countries trying to escape poverty and joblessness. Some find legal work, but others meet traffickers who exploit their hope. Weak checks on recruitment agencies and poor protection for migrant workers make the situation worse.
The BBC documentary has caused public outcry. Ugandan leaders and activists have called for stronger action, tighter oversight of recruitment companies, and better support for women who return after abuse. There are new calls for cooperation between Uganda and the United Arab Emirates to break these networks and hold offenders to account.
The team behind Death in Dubai said they wanted to expose a hidden crime that has destroyed lives while staying in the shadows. They hope the film and podcast will push governments and institutions to act faster and protect young women from being deceived, exploited, and silenced.
Information published in this article was obtained from the BBC NEWS Africa Documentary.
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