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Muhammad Walusansa Muzaaya, a resident of Buvuma Island, has been sentenced to 16-years in prison for trafficking 25 children.

On Thursday, April 11, 2024, Justice Andrew Bashaija of the International Crimes Division of the High Court, handed over the sentence to Muzaaya after he pleaded guilty to the offence of aggravated trafficking in children.

In July 2013, authorities received information regarding a large number of children not attending school at Muzaaya's residence on Buvuma Island. Upon investigation, the Police discovered 39 children residing with Muzaaya were working in his agricultural fields.

However, Muzaaya failed to give the Police a satisfactory explanation for their presence at his residence. Only nine of the children were confirmed to be Muzaaya's biological offsprings

Although Muzaaya claimed the children were entrusted to him for educational purposes, investigations revealed that he lacked teaching qualifications or licence. Furthermore, the only instruction provided was religious education focused on the Asaraf sect of Islam.  It turned out that Muzaaya was a farmer who reaped from the sweat of the children.

Based on these findings, Muzaaya was indicted with 25 counts of aggravated trafficking in children and exploiting the children for labour.

When the matter was fixed for hearing, Muzaaya opted for a plea bargain. During the court session presided over by Bashaija, the court ensured that Muzaaya understood his rights and voluntarily opted for a guilty plea. The Court accepted Muzaaya's guilty plea.

“In consideration of both the aggravating and mitigating factors of the case, the court sentences Muzaaya to 16 years' imprisonment in respect of each of the 25 counts, to run concurrently, by the plea bargain agreement,” the judge ruled.

Muzaaya entered a plea bargain agreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in a case of aggravated trafficking. The office of the DPP was represented by Senior State Attorney Jacquelyn Okui.