Gilbert Arinaitwe Bwana, a police officer who came to limelight in 2011 for smashing Dr. Kizza Besigye's car and sprayed him with pepper has been remanded to Luzira over charges related to human trafficking.
Superintendent of Police Arinaitwe, 43 who is currently attached to the Crime Intelligence Directorate headquarters was on Thursday afternoon arraigned before Buganda Road chief magistrate, Ronald Kayizzi and charges of aggravated trafficking contrary to section 3(1) (a) and (4)(h) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2009 read to him.
"Arinaitwe Bwana Gilbert and others still at large on June, 23, 2023 at Nalumunye-Bandwe, Kyengera Town Council in the Wakiso District recruited or maintained or confined or transported or transferred or haboured or received or facilitated aforementioned acts on Namukasa Joan by means of threat or use of force other forms of coercion or deception or abuse of power or position of vulnerability for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labour or involuntarily servitude or debt bondage," the chief magistrate read the charges.
Speaking in response, Arinaitwe denied the charges as being untrue.
"I have heard the charge and it is totally untrue," he said.
The state prosecutor, Ivan Kyazze told court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing and asked court to adjourn the matter for mention.
Bail application
Arinaitwe through his lawyers, James Njogu and Suzan Akiror asked court to be released on bail since it is his constitutional right where the offences with which he is charged are bailable.
He presented three people including his mother, a cousin brother and friend to stand surety for him.
"He is a senior police officer who can't abscond if released on bail. The applicant has everything to if he absconds but he is ready and willing to clear his name but also abide by all terms given by this court for bail," Njogu told court.
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Speaking in response, the state prosecutor, Ivan Kyazze objected to the bail application saying that Arinaitwe had not provided a copy of his national ID as well as his LC1 letter to prove his place of abode.
The state prosecutor said the sureties have not proved to court that they know where Arinaitwe stays which is crucial in ensuring he doesn't jump bail.
The trail chief magistrate, Ronald Kayizzi adjourned the matter to August 18 when he will be able to deliver his ruling on the bail application .
Arinaitwe has been remanded until then.
The charges
Section 3(1) (a) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act 2009 states that a person who recruits, transports, transfers, harbours or receives a person, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation commits an offence named trafficking in persons( human trafficking.)
Section (4)(h) of the same law says that the offence becomes aggravated trafficking if it i s committed by military personnel or law enforcement officer.
The law says on conviction , a person charged with aggravated trafficking is liable to imprisonment for life.
