Michael Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson said that police were alerted to the situation by concerned members of the public, who reported their suspicions.
Police in Napak district have rescued twelve children aged between
7 and 15 years, from a suspected human trafficker in Matany town council.
The victims who are all residents of Matany town council were
intercepted on Friday from a Gateway bus UAU 398M travelling to Kampala. Police also arrested a suspect, Lolem Lopor Kooli, a 20-year-old
female resident of Acakatom village in Nadunget Sub County, Moroto district.
Michael Longole, the Mt Moroto Regional Police Spokesperson
said that police were alerted by concerned members of the
public. Longole said that security acted swiftly, intercepting the
bus, and rescuing the children.
Longole stated that Lolem will face a charge of Aggravated
Trafficking in Persons.
He reiterated that the Uganda Police Force is committed to
combating human trafficking and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to
justice.
Longole urged the community to remain vigilant and report
any suspicious activities related to child trafficking. He called for
collaboration with the community to protect the children and prevent such
crimes from reoccurring in society.
"We commend the members of the public who came forward
with information, enabling us to take action and rescue these children,” Longole
said.
Kennedy Adome, a youth mobilizer of Lotome Sub County said
that child trafficking and child marriage are still a big challenge that
requires a collective response to end the vice.
Adome said that the fight against child trafficking is being
frustrated by the politicians who always shield off the perpetrators. He added
that the politicians fear losing votes when they confront parents who
are involved in the trafficking.
Adome said that the vice can only be partially addressed if
the district leadership collaborates with sub-county stakeholders and community
members.
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In February 2024, through collaborative efforts, Kampala Capital
City Authority (KCCA) conducted an operation and rounded up 1044 children and
out of these, 938 were from Napak district. Between February and June, a total
of 425 children aged 3 to 15 years who were repatriated from the Kampala
streets were enrolled in different schools in the Napak district.