Police in Luwero has rescued 16 children from being trafficked and unlawfully held by the proprietor of God’s Power Revival Church at Sinalya Hill, Kalule-Bombo in Luwero District.
It is alleged that one Musinguzi Keefa, a self-proclaimed pastor and a resident of the same was holding the children unlawfully by disguising to teach them the word of God.
The children who currently being kept at a police reception Centre in Luwero district are between the ages of 15 to 17 years.
In an operation headed by Senior Superintendent of Police Atuhaire Maureen, the In charge Child and Family Protection Unit (CFPU) in Uganda Police said,” We got information about the church, its activities and we picked interest in their activities.”
She added that, when they visited the place they discovered that 16 girls were being held illegally and not attending school.
Atuhaire said Police has already arrested the proprietor of the church on charges of child trafficking and also opened up a General Inquiry File to establish how the 16 girls ended up in the alleged church and any other form of abuse if any.
She added that,” all the children are to undergo a thorough medical examination and counselling before being reunited with their parents”.
When Police visited the place it was established that all the 16 girls shared only two decor beds while others slept on the floor in a congested one roomed house.
It was also discovered that the church was operating illegally and it was therefore closed.
” We asked him to produce documents barking his church activities and he failed. We have therefore closed it with immediate effect,” Atuhaire said.
She appealed to the parents to safe guard their children and ensure their children attend school since it is an important element towards the development of our country.
The CFPU boss also urged the local community to be responsible and pick interest in what is happening in their surrounding and in case of any suspicious activities they should report to relevant authorizes.
The girls were ferried from different districts in Uganda including Bugiri, Budaka, Kiboga, Kasese, Buyende, Ntungamo, Bukomansiimbi and Wakiso.
