Mityana Pastor charged with aggravated trafficking, all victims recovered 

The Police have preferred charges of aggravated trafficking in persons against a Pastor in Mityana who is accused of disappearing with his followers. Trafficking in persons involving minors automatically qualifies as a capital offence.

Pastor Samuel Kalibbala was arrested on Friday last week with a group of 12 people at his home in Naama Village, Busimbi Division, Mityana Municipality.

He was arrested 10 days after he disappeared with 20 of the followers of his church throwing relatives and authorities in panic. It is alleged that Pastor Kalibbala, his wife and children had disappeared with some of his followers from Naama Central Village in Busimbi Division Mityana Municipality.

Residents of Naama Central Village alleged that Pastor Kalibbala and his wife are primary school teachers who abandoned their profession and rented a room in Naama trading center where they have been running a church without name.

Amid the ongoing investigations, the Police said that a charge of aggravated trafficking in persons have been preferred against Pastor Kalibbala. Wamala Region Police Spokesperson, Rachael Kawala confirmed the charges and revealed that all the victims in disappearance case of Naama where Pastor Kalibbala is involved have all been recovered.

She said that the last person has reported himself to the Police at Naama on Monday while another one reported herself on Sunday evening. Kawala said that investigations are still ongoing to find out the motive of the disappearance.

According to the Police, Pastor Kalibbala is a suspect in the alleged disappearance case which was reported and registered as CRB 429/2022.

Kawala said earlier that the Pastor was arrested through intelligence-led information after investigations and searching for the missing persons.

Aggravated trafficking in persons is a capital offence provided for under the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2009 and it attracts an imprisonment for life upon conviction.