A staff member of the National Identification and Registration Authority has been remanded to prison over allegations of unlawfully accessing and sharing citizens’ personal information allegedly linked to a human trafficking network operating between Uganda and the United Arab Emirates.
Douglas Kaaya, also known as Kasozi, appeared before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Makindye, where he was charged with unlawful disclosure and processing of personal data without authorisation, contrary to Uganda’s data protection laws.
Prosecution alleges that Kaaya, while working as a registration assistant at NIRA, accessed confidential national identification records and shared them with individuals allegedly connected to a trafficking syndicate.
Investigators claim the information was used to identify and recruit young Ugandan women using false promises of employment opportunities abroad before they were allegedly exploited after arriving in Dubai.
The case has raised fresh concerns about the security of Uganda’s national identity database and possible insider involvement in transnational trafficking operations.
Kaaya denied the charges before the court but was remanded after reportedly failing to satisfy bail requirements, including presenting a valid national identity card and a recommendation letter from his local council authorities.
The court heard that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.
The accused is expected to return to court on May 18, 2026, for further mention of the case.
