Prominent international businesswoman Vasundhara Oswal has filed a human rights petition before the High Court of Uganda, alleging that top security officials illegally and arbitrarily arrested her in October 2024. She alleges she was held for nearly three weeks, even after a court order had directed her release, and despite what she argues was a lack of evidence to justify either her arrest or her continued detention.
Among those named are senior Ugandan officials, including Assistant Inspector General of Police and Interpol Director Joseph Obwona, former Commissioner of Police for Interpol Allison Agaba, Joseph Kyomuhendo, Head of the Human Trafficking Division in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Thomas Baale, a police detective and investigating officer. Obwona is the third-highest-ranking officer in the Uganda Police Force hierarchy.
Oswal, a 27-year-old European citizen of Indian origin, is the executive director of Oswal Group Global and PRO Industries, which operates East Africa's largest ethanol plant in Uganda's Luwero District. She alleges her constitutional and human rights were repeatedly and seriously violated, with officials conspiring to keep her in detention. PRO Industries is regarded as a flagship industrial investment in the country.
The petition details claims of arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, citing Article 23 of Uganda's Constitution and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It further alleges inhumane and degrading treatment, including denial of medication, restricted access to legal counsel, and conditions described as inconsistent with constitutional protections under Article 24.
According to the petition, Oswal, a European citizen of Indian origin, was denied access to her lawyers, deprived of medication and subjected to humiliating and degrading treatment in custody. Her family alleges that officers demanded money for her to access basic necessities such as food and hygiene supplies. She also accuses police and prison officials of colluding with local business figures to keep her unlawfully detained.
The case has drawn attention from human rights lawyers and economic analysts, who say it underscores broader concerns about the rule of law in Uganda and has implications for attracting international investment.
Her petition calls for justice, accountability, and reform, asking the High Court to prosecute officials who "facilitated the illegal arrest and imprisonment" and to issue a declaration that Vasundhara's constitutional rights were violated. It also calls for the return of confiscated property and bond money totalling USD 200,000, which remain unreturned despite repeated requests. The family had also submitted the matter to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Oswal's family, speaking through her lawyer, has called the incident "an egregious breach" of both Ugandan law and international norms, calling for "accountability and systemic reform to ensure that no individual, Ugandan or foreign, endures such abuse again".
In a statement, Oswal said her family remains committed to Uganda despite the experience, noting their investment was intended as a long-term contribution to the country's industrial development.
She expressed confidence that the courts would reaffirm the country's commitment to the rule of law by ensuring accountability, noting that the incident "does not reflect a failure of the system itself, but rather the actions of a limited number of individuals". She also thanked President Museveni, who visited PRO Industries' plant in December 2025, for his "industrial leadership and ongoing support".
Ugandan officials named in the petition have not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
As the matter proceeds through the courts, observers say the outcome will likely be closely watched by investors and rights advocates alike, given its intersection with constitutional governance, international law and Uganda's ambitions to position itself as a stable destination for industrial capital.
