Ugandan national staying illegally in India for over 16 years deported

The Ugandan national is also being probed for his involvement in human trafficking after police found 26 passports of African nationals at his residence, including 24 where visas had expired, police said.

“The Ugandan was living illegally in India from August 6, 2005, for a period of 16 years and 11 months,” the Bengaluru East police said.

A Ugandan national, who had emerged as a prominent voice of African nationals living in Bengaluru during his more than 16 years of illegal stay in India, was deported to his home country on July 27 following a joint operation by the local police and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Bosco Kawesi, who would identify himself as the president of the pan-African federation in Bengaluru and facilitated African nationals in resolving legal and other issues, was himself staying illegally since 2005, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Prathap Reddy said.

The Ugandan national is also being probed for his involvement in human trafficking after police found 26 passports of African nationals at his residence, including 24 where visas had expired, police said.

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Kawesi was arrested on July 19 and handed over to MHA officials who sent him to a detention centre for illegal immigrants in Bengaluru before deporting him on July 27. Bengaluru police said that an order will be issued soon to prevent Kawesi’s return to India.

Kawesi who is married to an Indian national was living in Bengaluru with his family. Government and police officials often turned to Kawesi to intervene in legal cases involving African nationals. African students too would approach Kawesi to resolve issues.

“The Ugandan was living illegally in India since August 6, 2005…for a period of 16 years and 11 months,” the police said.

“He allegedly helped African nationals to stay in India illegally by providing them fake documents. In 2006 he was imprisoned for six months for staying illegally and was issued a notice to leave the country, but he did not obey the order,” police said.

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An investigation is being carried out into Kawesi’s activities and to identify those who assisted him, including Indian citizens.

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