Africa-Press – Uganda. Cases of human trafficking have increased by more than 400 percent in the last five years, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo, has said.
Justice Abodo revealed that between January 2020 and June 2022, they recorded 717 cases of child trafficking, of which 451 were sexually-exploited, 105 exported for labour, 41 were both sexually and labour exploited with 19 being sacrifised in rituals.
While speaking last Friday during a conference in Kampala, Justice Abodo said the cases are complex and often involve organised crime syndicates, terrorism, fraudulent financial schemes, and sensitive victim issues.
“Poverty, lack of employment opportunities, discrimination, difficult family circumstances, conflicts in neigbouring countries and the legal and social inequality of women and girls are factors that make some Ugandan children vulnerable to trafficking,” the DPP said.
Supreme Court judge Mike Chibita, who was the chief guest, said Uganda is grappling with human trafficking and child sacrifice.
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He added that such crimes are complex and yet they are not taught at law school. “They are not like most crimes we learn about in law school and the police academies. They are covert and heavily context specific. Accordingly, successful investigations, prosecutions, adjudications and victim witness coordination require specialised training,” Justice Chibita said.
This year’s human trafficking conference ran under the theme: “Building momentum for quest for justice”
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