Jinja, Uganda | URN | Kira region police are holding Robert Mugisa, the lead pastor of “Christ the Answer Church,” in Kyerinda A village, Buwenge town council, Jinja district for trafficking over 33 minors from Tororo district.
Police sealed off pastor Mugisa’s residence in the same area and rescued the girls who were sharing the house with him. Mugisa is also accused of defiling and impregnating some of the minors.
The suspect, who is currently locked up at Buwenge central police station declined to comment about the allegations levelled against him. One of the victims aged 16 years, says that Mugisa blocked them from alerting neighbors about his evil practices.
“Mugisa has manipulated all of us and we are not allowed to leave the house without him. He mobilized us from different homes within Tororo district early last year with promises of connecting us to sponsors.
However, to date, he has been sexually abusing us. He has been forcing some of the girls to abort but I decided to report the matter to police after he threatened to kill me if I refuse to terminate his four-month-old pregnancy,” she said.
According to the victim, they have been relocating to different areas whenever concerned residents would raise concerns about Mugisa’s suspicious activities. Rosemary Muteguya, a resident of Kyerinda A village, says that Mugisa started renting in their area in July 2021.
Muteguya says that Mugisa was a reserved individual who isolated the girls from the rest of the community and often locked them inside the house whenever he was away.
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Joy Kyazike, another resident says despite Mugisa’s suspicious behaviour in managing the minors, they turned a blind eye to his actions after noticing that the victim’s parents would regularly visit their children and none of them seemed bothered about the situation.
Sayyid Bifamengo, the Kyerinda A village chairperson says that he held a meeting with Mugisa and attempted to get his personal data in vain.
Kiira region police spokesperson James Mubi says that detectives have been dispatched to record statements from each of the victims.
