A 48-year-old Ugandan man, Charles Isabirye, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison in the United Kingdom after being found guilty of raping two Ugandan women he lured into the country with false promises of work and accommodation, according to BBC reports.
Leicestershire Police said Isabirye brought the two women from Uganda to the UK, promising them jobs and a place to live — promises that never materialized.
During his trial at Leicester Crown Court, Isabirye denied the charges and claimed that his victims had fabricated the allegations in collusion.
However, he was found guilty of four counts of rape, breaching a restraining order, and three counts of witness intimidation.
The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order prohibiting any contact with his victims. Isabirye was further placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
The court heard that Isabirye’s first victim initially reported the rape to police in 2022, but later withdrew, saying she did not feel ready to pursue the case.
A year later, in 2023, a second victim came forward with a similar report. Police then recontacted the first victim, who agreed to make a full statement.
Detective Constable Sarah Le Boutillier praised the women for their courage and resilience, saying they had shown immense bravery throughout the long and painful trial.
“I have nothing but praise for the victims in this case — not only for coming forward and reporting what happened, but for the bravery they showed in court throughout a lengthy, difficult trial,” she said.
“Isabirye sought to discredit them at every opportunity. While it doesn’t change what they went through, I hope they find some comfort in knowing he’s in prison for a significant amount of time.”
