Gilbert Arinaitwe Bwana, a prominent police detective, has been committed to the High Court on charges of aggravated trafficking.
Arinaitwe, a Superintendent of Police attached to the Crime Intelligence headquarters in Kololo, rose to fame in 2011 after executing one of the most difficult missions to arrest controversial politician-Dr Kizza Besigye, who was the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, following the post election protests at Mulago roundabout.
Using a pistol, the brave detective stormed out and broke the car windows of Besigye’s vehicle, pepper-sprayed his eyes before dragging him out and handing him.
It had taken over an hour stranded as the FDC leader locked himself in the car until when Arinaitwe used every technique possible to pull him out and and him over to the police.
However, the officer was praised by police and the president hence winning a promotion and a medal at some point. However, it is not clear how things fell apart on is side after over a decade.
High-ranking detective was arrested on strong accusations of recruiting and confining one Joan Namukasa for purposes of sexual exploitation or forced labour.
On Tuesday, the he was committed by Buganda Road chief magistrate Ronald Kayizzi who directed him to continue reporting to the registrar of the International Crimes Division (ICD) every last Thursday of the month until the next convenient session of the High court.
It is alleged that Arinaitwe recruited, transported, and harboured his 23-year-old housemaid for purposes of sexual exploitation at his home in Nalumunye-Bandwe, Kyengera town council.
Court documents read: “According to charge sheet, Alinaitwe and others still at large on June, 23, 2023 at Nalumunye-Bandwe, Kyengera Town Council in the Wakiso District recruited or maintained or confined or transported or transferred or haboured or received or facilitated aforementioned acts on Namukasa Joan by means of threat or use of force other forms of coercion or deception or abuse of power or position of vulnerability for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labour or involuntarily servitude or debt bondage.”
Section 3(1) (a) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2009 states that a person who recruits, transports, transfers, harbours or receives a person, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation commits an offence named trafficking in persons (human trafficking).
Section (4)(h) of the same law says that the offence becomes aggravated trafficking if it is committed by military personnel or a law enforcement officer.
Arinaitwe’s alleged action is a breach of public trust in the force which is entrusted wit keeping law and order or protect and serve. The officer has shied away from talking to the press regarding the matter.
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