By Lazarus Apunyo
Four suspects held at Moroto Central Police Station for alleged child trafficking are set to appear in court soon to answer charges of human trafficking, according to the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson, Mike Longole.
The suspects have been identified as Philip Angoler, Moses Gulit, Marita Apul all residents of Matany in Napak district and Simon Koryang, a resident of Kotido district.
They were arrested on August 7, 2025, in an operation targeting a racket of individuals involved in child trafficking in Karamoja sub-region.
Mike Longole, the Mt. Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson said that the suspects were arrested in a joint security operation on child trafficking.
“The operation follows media and whistle blower’s reports that Karamojong children were being sold in Amukaru market famously known as Arapai market”, said Longole.
According to Longole, preliminary investigations indicate that Angoler, Gulit, and Koryang, have been trafficking children especially teenage girls from Karamoja to Soroti under the disguise of taking them to work as casual labourers.
However, Longole explained that when these children reach Soroti, they are sold to those who want casual labourers without the consent of their parents.
The suspects have been in detention for close to a month from the time of the arrest, raising questions about violation of 48 hours mandatory detention.
Article 23 (3) of the 1995 constitution requires police to bring an arrested person before a court of law or grant them police bond within 48 hours from the time of arrest.
Under the same article, detaining a suspect beyond this period without a court appearance or bond is illegal.
In response Longole said that the case in which the suspects are being accused of is a serious one and it requires ample time to for the police to carry out thorough investigations
He added that the files have been sent to the Resident State Attorney for sanctioning.
Cue
In Uganda, the punishment for child trafficking can include life imprisonment or even the death penalty, depending on the specific circumstances and interpretation of the law, as outlined in the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2009.
This Act criminalizes various forms of trafficking, including the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation.
Mary Gorretti Longora, the LCV Female Councillor for Nadunget Sub-county in Moroto district, cited at Nadunget livestock market as epicenter for child trafficking with traffickers using new tactics to evade detection by the local leaders and security forces.
“The traffickers disguise themselves as traders seeking translation services, luring children by hiring them to interpret English into the local language. They also befriend the children, build trust, and later traffic them,” stated Longora.
Speaking to our reporter Lazarus Apunyo based in Moroto, John Robert Adupa, the LCIII chairperson of Lotisan sub-county, blamed a spike in child trafficking cases on poverty, which is currently at 75.6 percent according to 2023/2024, UBOS report.
He said that many children have abandoned their homes as a result of poverty which has made it difficult for parents majorly fathers to fulfill their parental obligation of providing for their families.
Also read:https://radioetoil.com/five-arrested-over-footballers-murder/
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