Freed Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner brazenly boasts he has info which can solve ‘scandal of century’

MADELEINE McCann suspect Christian Brueckner says he has information to end the “scandal of the century”.

The newly-freed rapist, 49, hinted of a dark secret as he shopped for a phone.

CCTV footage showing Christian Brueckner purchasing a mobile phone in a shop.
Dan Charity

Christian Brueckner said he could solve one of the ‘greatest mysteries ever’ as he shopped for a phone[/caption]

CCTV shows Christian Bruckner setting up a mobile phone in a shop, showing off his ankle tag.
Dan Charity

The freed sex offender plonked his foot on a phone shop counter to show off his ankle tag at one point[/caption]

Christian Brueckner buying and setting up a mobile phone at a shop in Neumuenster, Germany.
Dan Charity

The paedophile told staff he’d ‘not last long’ — because he holds dirt on people who want him killed[/caption]

His claims raise the prospect he withheld knowledge on the disappearance of Madeleine in Portugal in 2007 despite being a suspect for more than five years.

The paedophile, freed last week at the end of an unrelated rape sentence, also told staff he’d “not last long” — because he holds dirt on people who want him killed.

His phone buy has sparked fears he could try to flee his home country.

Shop manager Farouk Salah-Brahmin, 32, said: “Brueckner told me he had some information.

“I don’t know if it’s the McCann case but he said he had evidence that could bring the scandal of the century to an end.

“He said he would end all the accusations against him. He said he can bring his own solution. He said something about USB sticks.”

Brueckner had refused to answer any questions on the case while in prison, or engage with police.

It sounded to me like he was part of something wider. Something he clearly had knowledge of. Some network or something maybe


Farouk

Farouk added of their 90-minute chat: “The way he said it he must have been talking about the Madeleine McCann case. What else could he be talking about?

“It sounded to me like he was part of something wider. Something he clearly had knowledge of. Some network or something maybe.

“I thought maybe he knows other people who were involved – but it’s clear he knows far more than he had been telling the police.

“That struck me as weird – that he said he had knowledge of this but hadn’t told police. I don’t understand why he would do that.”

Brueckner spent £90 on a Xiaomi Redmi Android phone and bought a SIM using his ID card.

Farouk revealed the fiend also claimed his life was in danger.

‘Want to make him cold’

The shop boss said: “He told me that he has special information about some people, and that’s why they want to finish him.

“I don’t know if it is linked to all the USB sticks and information they found at his lair.

“Brueckner told me there are some people out there who ‘want to make him cold’.

“He told me, ‘I won’t do long here — maybe someone will murder me. He made it sound like there were people from his past – maybe from when he was a paedophile.

A man with short blonde hair looks left while standing at a counter.
Christian was freed last week at the end of an unrelated rape sentence
Farouk Salah-Brahim, a mobile phone shop owner, looking at the camera with his arms crossed.
Dan Charity

Shop manager Farouk Salah-Brahmin said: ‘Brueckner told me he had some information’[/caption]

“Maybe he had clients who are worried about being revealed.

“He was a client of someone famous? I don’t know.” Brueckner then showed off the monitoring tag.

Farouk added: “He said, ‘Look, I’m under control’ then started laughing. It was weird. He clearly finds it funny and he thinks it’s unfair.

I had no idea he was in my town before he walked in. I thought what does he want here in this area?


Farouk

“He told me his case is finished, the prison is finished and we have the GPS. He clearly wants to get on with people, win their confidence.

“But to find an tag you have to wear because you are so dangerous funny is crazy.”

Christian Brueckner eating McDonald's food, with a red car in the foreground.
BILD Fotoservice

Brueckner enjoying a McDonald’s following his release[/caption]

Brueckner spent an hour in the shop because he needed help setting up his phone and WhatsApp account.

At one point he came in munching a kebab – a day after gobbling a McDonald’s

‘Injustice’

Farouk said it was clear he was the first “real person” Brueckner had spoken to since his release.

Farouk said: “I had no idea he was in my town before he walked in. I thought what does he want here in this area? He was just carrying a backpack and a load of supermarket shopping bags.

“I admit I was afraid. It’s a dangerous guy, and I have to be careful and keep a distance. He was directly in front of me. No space, no barrier. There he was, Christian Brueckner.

“He claimed everything that happened to him was an ‘injustice’.

My colleague recognised him straight away, it was Christian Brueckner wearing a long fake beard. It was stupid. It was obviously still him


Shop worker

“He said he has nothing to do with the things he has been convicted of and accused of.

“I said to him, ‘They found your DNA in one of the victim’s bed’. And he told me, ‘Yes, but also 14 other DNA. He said it wasn’t him. He said all the claims against him had been invented.”

Madeleine McCann, a young girl with blonde hair and wide green eyes, wearing a red velvet top.
AFP

Madeleine McCann went missing on the May 3, 2007[/caption]

Christian Brueckner looking towards his lawyer during his sexual assault and rape trial.
Dan Charity

Brueckner was released last week after finishing a seven-year term for the 2005 rape and torture of an American woman[/caption]

Farouk said: “I don’t know what he’s really like. Maybe he’s playing a role, being someone he isn’t. Maybe he was lying to me. I think he has been telling people for so long he is innocent he has started to believe it.

“He speaks to you so directly and without any shame so you might believe him. I think he believes what he’s saying. But it’s not true.”

SMIRK OVER COP DONATION

By Rob Pattinson

EVIL Brueckner laughed and smirked over the German FBI agent working on his case who had paid for his early release.

Shop manager Farouk said Brueckner had read The Sun exclusive earlier this month about Rebecca K covering a £1,300 court fine he owed.

Farouk said: “Brueckner told me he saw the interview and that was the first time he’d ever seen her. He said he had never heard of this woman before.

“He said it was unbelievable, a surprise she’d paid.

“He laughed like he found it funny but it felt to me he had some more information — that he knew more about her payment than he was saying.”

Rebecca K, 39, said she felt sorry for the fiend and felt his rights were being violated.

She was part of the covert team monitoring Brueckner before a row with colleagues saw her career fizzle out.

Meanwhile, a Domino’s pizza worker said Brueckner had been into their branch twice in two days — disguised in a fake beard.

The worker said: “This guy came in and asked if we had any free pizza. He said he had just got out of jail and he was hungry.

“My colleague recognised him straight away, it was Christian Brueckner wearing a long fake beard. It was stupid. It was obviously still him.”

Brueckner has been seen twice at different kebab shops, and partying at a nightclub 48 hours after being freed from JVA Sehnde prison, near Hannover.

He was released last Wednesday after finishing a seven-year term for the 2005 rape and torture of an American woman, 72, in Portugal’s Praia da Luz — the same village Madeleine disappeared from.

While he remains German cops’ prime suspect over the disappearance and murder of Madeleine no arrest warrants exist, so there is nothing to keep him behind bars.

Investigators say they have physical evidence Madeleine is dead but no forensic proof tying Brueckner to the case.

Police have confirmed his phone was near Ocean Club, at the time when the McCanns were staying.

Witness Helge Busching claims a year later Brueckner confessed to him at a music festival, in Spain, saying “she didn’t scream”, as the pair discussed Madeleine.

Overwhelming evidence

An exclusive Sun investigation aired as a Channel 4 documentary in May revealed cops are in possession of images that help contribute to their understanding Maddie is dead.

They also seized stories where Brueckner daydreams about snatching and abusing girls.

Despite the overwhelming evidence investigators have been reluctant to charge over the case fearing the lack of forensic proof would harm their chances.

They were also spooked by a court last year clearing Brueckner of other rape and sex assaults — an acquittal which put him on the path to freedom.

Since it became clear that Brueckner would be released this month, the Met have significantly stepped up their activity on the case.

Last week we told how British detectives secretly jetted to Portugal to re-interview as witnesses a German couple he once stayed with.

It also emerged last week that investigators take seriously the prospect Madeleine was snatched to order by human traffickers, potentially with links to Belgium.

Brueckner’s lawyers continue to protest his innocence on all matters.

Defendant Christian B (center) with his lawyers Holm Putzke (left) and Friedrich Fuelscher (right) during his trial.
AFP

The beast has been seen twice at different kebab shops, and partying at a nightclub 48 hours after being freed from prison[/caption]

Madeleine McCann in an Everton Football Club shirt.
Handout

Christian denies involvement in Maddie’s disappearance[/caption]

Gerry and Kate McCann at a vigil marking the 15th anniversary of their daughter's disappearance.
Maddie’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have been searching for answers over her disappearance since 2007
a white building with a car parked in front of it
The apartment complex that Maddie disappeared from in Praia Da Luz, Portugal

TIMELINE OF THE MADDIE CASE

HERE’S a timeline of the case which has gripped the world.

May 3, 2007

Madeleine McCann disappears from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, sparking a massive police search and becoming one of the most famous missing persons cases in history.

January 15, 2016

Neighbour reports a possible ‘grave’ at Brueckner’s abandoned factory in East Germany.

Cops find disturbing images on USB sticks and launch a full-scale search.

February 16, 2016

Christian Brueckner is convicted for abusing a girl of five in a park after images found on his laptop.

He was sentenced to 15-months behind bars but was already on the run by then.

May 3, 2017

Around this time, Helge B calls an information hotline after watching a ten-year anniversary special on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

He reports an alleged confession by Christian Brueckner.

September 27, 2018

On-the-run Christian Brueckner is arrested over outstanding drugs claims in Italy.

He is extradited to Germany the following year.

December 16, 2019

Christian Brueckner was convicted, in Germany, for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, after his DNA was matched to a hair found on her bed.

He was sentenced to seven years behind bars.

June 4, 2020

German prosecutors reveal to the world they have a suspect in custody under investigation for the abduction of Madeleine McCann.

For the first time they claim Madeleine is dead.

German media later name him as Christian B (Christian Brueckner).

June 23, 2023

In his first interview, witness Helge B alleges to German newspaper Bild that Christian Brueckner all-but-confessed the Madeleine abduction to him, by allegedly saying “she didn’t scream” as they talked about the case, at a music festival, in Spain.

February 16, 2024

Brueckner goes on trial accused of none-McCann allegations of rape and sex assault, in Braunschweig, Germany.

Prosecutors hope for a conviction to keep him behind bars permanently and lead to McCann charges.

October 8, 2024

Brueckner was acquitted of all claims.

Prosecutors launch an appeal, however. Decision pending.

June 1, 2025

Police order a renewed search for clues in Praia Da Luz on the Algarve in Portugal.

It lasts for just three days.

September 17, 2025

Christian Brueckner released from jail after serving sentence for rape and allowed to walk free.

September 22, 2025
Read More >>

Experts reveal the 6 eye-watering pieces of VERY intimate evidence Brigitte Macron will reveal to prove she’s a woman

IT’S the very public legal row Brigitte Macron could have never expected to face: one to prove she is a biological woman.

And as the French president’s wife prepares to enter her bizarre battle, experts have revealed to The Sun for the first time exactly how she will be expected to do so…and the range of tests – detailed below – are astounding.

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron attend a national memorial ceremony.
AP

Brigitte Macron is involved in a US defamation case against Candace Owens over gender rumours[/caption]

Brigitte Macron attending the launch of Paris Design Week.
Shutterstock Editorial

Experts suggest six types of evidence could prove Brigitte Macron’s womanhood[/caption]

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to his wife Brigitte Macron.
AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron branded the allegations against his wife ‘false and fabricated’[/caption]

Candace Owens on set of her show, "Candace," in Nashville, Tennessee.
Getty

The Macrons have filed a 218-page lawsuit in Delaware, accusing Owens of a ‘global humiliation’ campaign[/caption]

The glamorous French First Lady, 70, now finds herself at the centre of a jaw-dropping US defamation case against American right-wing influencer Candace Owens.

Owens, who has millions of followers hanging on her every post, has vowed to “wage her entire professional reputation” on the claim Brigitte is secretly male. 

For the Macrons, it’s nothing short of a nightmare – a campaign of “global humiliation” and “relentless bullying” that they say has tormented their family and gone viral around the world.

Now, the couple are preparing to fight back with the most intimate proof a woman can offer.

But experts warned that even then, die-hard trolls are unlikely to be convinced.

Dr Emma Hilton, a developmental biologist at the University of Manchester, told The Sun the First Lady could technically offer at least six types of evidence.

“It’s just such an appalling invasion of privacy as far as I’m concerned,” Dr Hilton said.

“I’m pretty horrified that it’s come to this.”

Claus Højbjerg Gravholt, a professor of endocrinology at Os University Hospital, agreed, blasting the row as absurd.

“I think it’s crazy,” he told The Sun.

“What’s the point in being so interested in the sex of a wife of a president of some country?

France is a large country, but even if it was any other country, I would still think that is rather crazy.”

Pregnancy & childbirth

The strongest evidence, Dr Hilton said, would be showing she has carried a child.

“If you see a baby coming out of someone, you’re going to say, ‘yes, OK, that’s a woman’,” she commented wryly.

And photos of Brigitte Macron pregnant with her three children could be decisive.

“For me, it is just vanishingly unlikely that she’s not female,” Dr Hilton said.

“She would have to be one of these uniquely rare medical conditions in order to be male and be pregnant. It’s not going to happen.”

Brigitte Macron attending the launch of Paris Design Week.
Shutterstock Editorial

Brigitte faces cruel rumours claiming she was ‘born a man’ — and could be forced to prove otherwise in court[/caption]

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron leaving the Invalides memorial complex.
Getty

The rumours, first pushed in France, have now been viewed all around the world[/caption]

Hormone levels

Doctors could check sex hormone levels – testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone – which differ in men and women.

Dr Hilton noted: “It’s something that’s been used for sports categories before.

“We use them to check the general sexual health of men and women in adulthood.”

Professor Gravholt added that hormone production is one of the four main layers doctors assess when determining sex.

He explained: “In the male, you would say, it’s preferentially testosterone, although males also produce some estrogen.

“And in females you would see that the ovaries predominantly produce estrogen.

“However, they also produce some testosterone. The levels there would be what you were looking for.”

“As I understand it, Brigitte Macron is past menopause, so therefore you would not expect any sizeable production of estrogen at her age.”

The ‘make male’ gene

Scientists can run a genetic test for the specific gene that triggers male development.

“It’s called the ‘make male’ gene. It’s the single trigger in humans to say you are going to be male,” Dr Hilton said.

And if it’s absent, it means the person is female.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron leaving the Bastille Day military parade.
AFP

Hormone levels, chromosomes and scans are among the tests experts say could prove Brigitte’s sex[/caption]

Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron pose for photographers in Le Touquet.
AFP

Dr Emma Hilton called the demand for proof ‘an appalling invasion of privacy’[/caption]

Chromosome screening

A simple screen could show whether Macron carries a Y chromosome – a marker of male sex.

This usually means taking a blood sample and looking for the presence of a Y chromosome, which is typically linked with male sex.

But chromosomes alone don’t always give a full answer, so doctors usually combine chromosome testing with other checks.

Menstrual history

Doctors could also review menstrual history,  meaning whether someone has ever had periods, when they began, and how regular they are.

This information is closely tied to hormone production and ovarian function.

For example, if a person reports never having had periods, that can sometimes suggest a difference in reproductive anatomy or hormone levels.

Dr Hilton noted these intimate medical details are routinely considered in sex verification.

Proof of pregnancy

Another part of medical history that might be reviewed is whether a person has ever been pregnant.

A confirmed pregnancy is direct evidence that the person has a functioning uterus and ovaries, and that egg release (ovulation) has occurred.

And even without ongoing medical tests, pregnancy is considered strong biological proof of female reproductive capacity.

Again, this isn’t always straightforward, since some women may not be able to get pregnant for medical reasons — but when present, it’s an important piece of evidence.

What’s the point in being so interested in the sex of a wife of a president of some country?


Claus Højbjerg Gravholtprofessor of endocrinology

Ultrasounds & scans

Lastly, ultrasounds or medical scans could check for a uterus or ovaries.

“In terms of medical diagnostics, physical exams are a way to know if someone has a uterus, ovaries, and so on,” Dr Hilton said.

Professor Gravholt outlined a similar four-layer medical approach: chromosomes, gonads, hormone production, and internal or external genitalia.

He explained: “Normally a male would have 46 XY and a female would have 46 XX.

“However, we know of females with 46 XY and males with 46 XX, so that’s not enough.

“You then look at whether this person has testes or ovaries, and is it in concordance with the chromosomal setup.”

Prof Gravholt said that in medical practice, the tests themselves are straightforward, explaining: “The chromosomes and the hormones are just a blood sample, and then you would use ultrasound or MRI to show how the gonads and the internal and external genitals look.”

‘Public won’t let go’

But for Brigitte, this isn’t happening in a clinic – instead, it will take place in front of the entire world.

Despite all the possible avenues to collect medical evidence, the expert stressed that no matter how much proof Brigitte Macron presents, the so-called “conspiracy theorists” won’t let go.

“The people who are saying that Macron is a man won’t believe the tests,” she said.

“They’ll just say that the photos are faked… so it’s unclear to me whether something even to what I would call a diagnostic standard would even be believed.”

Professor Gravholt also slammed the circus around the French First Lady.

“I would think that this is simply not something that is appropriate for the public to discuss,” he said.

Brigitte Macron attending the France and Ukraine bilateral meeting at the Elysee Palace.
Getty

Experts say even scientific proof may not silence the conspiracy theorists[/caption]

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron attend a tribute ceremony.
AP:Associated Press

Photos of Brigitte pregnant with her three children could be key courtroom evidence[/caption]

“Would any of us be interested in having the public discussing your chromosomes or my chromosomes or my gonads or your gonads? No.

“It’s certainly something that should reside within the realm of a patient-doctor relationship and not in the public domain.”

And the price of proving herself could be devastating.

Dr Hilton warned it forces Mrs Macron to reveal private gynaecological or pregnancy details to a baying global audience.

“These are medical concerns… it’s a woman’s right to reveal that where she feels fit, rather than to be pressured into doing so to satisfy a kind of social media audience,” she explained.

Even the process of testing – though medically routine – could feel humiliating.

“Pregnancy and your sex life and all those kinds of things that are your choice when it comes to wanting to talk about them or reveal them,” Hilton said.

“One would feel kind of offended, or even violated, in a situation like hers.”

Courtroom showdown

The Macrons have filed a 218-page lawsuit in Delaware accusing Owens of waging a “campaign of global humiliation.”

They say they begged her to retract the lies, but she doubled down instead.

“She is firmly resolved to do what it takes to set the record straight,” lawyer Tom Clare vowed — including presenting photos of Brigitte visibly pregnant.

“It is incredibly upsetting to think that you have to go and subject yourself to put this type of proof forward,” he said.

“But she’s willing to do it.”

The Elysée Palace is equally defiant.

An Palace source told The Sun: “All proof – from photographic to scientific analysis will be used to win this case.

“The claims are malicious and without any foundation at all.

“The similarity between Ms Macron and her three grown-up children is unmistakable.”

President Macron himself thundered: “This is about defending my honour! Because it’s nonsense.

“This is about upholding the truth. We’re talking about the civil status of the First Lady of France, a wife, a mother, a grandmother.”

These are medical concerns… it’s a woman’s right to reveal that where she feels fit, rather than to be pressured into doing so to satisfy a kind of social media audience.


Dr Emma Hiltondevelopmental biologist

Owens, however, insists she’s standing on principle.

Owens’ lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss, arguing the case should not be heard in Delaware and claiming forcing her to defend it there would cause “substantial financial and operational hardship”.

She has insisted she believes the claims and defended them as free speech.

Owens’ fling in the Macron case reads: “In contravention of a sacred precept of U.S. Constitutional Law, the President and First Lady of France… have filed a baseless defamation suit against an independent American journalist who broadcasts a daily news and culture show from her basement in Nashville, Tennessee.

“The French president and his wife cynically avoided filing their Francocentric case in their home country… The reason is clear: this matter is not a legitimate legal action, but rather a transparent ruse orchestrated by Plaintiffs’ high-priced public relations firm.”

The filing goes on to break down three reasons a judge should dismiss the case.

It includes a lack of jurisdiction in Delaware; an expiration of France’s statute of limitations; and forum non conveniens – where a court, despite having the power to hear a case, can dismiss it because another court is a more suitable and appropriate place for the case to be heard.

Candace Owens on the set of her show, "Candace," holding a mug that says "Candace."
Getty

The US case will hinge on whether Owens spread the claims with ‘actual malice’[/caption]

Macron & Brigette’s romance

EMMANUEL Macron, the youngest president in France’s history, met his future wife when he was just 15 years old.

Macron was Brigitte’s drama student in school – where she would read his writing out to the class.

When Macron hit the limelight, footage of him kissing his future wife on the cheek – when he was just a teen and she was his married teacher – emerged.

Macron, now 46, shared a classroom at a Catholic school with Brigitte’s daughter Laurence – who is the same age as him.

His parents were stunned when they learned that their son was romantically involved with his teacher as they believed he was actually in love with Laurence, reports Reuters.

Writer Anne Fulda, who penned the book Emmanuel Macron: A Perfect Young Man, spoke to the politician’s parents about the unconventional romance, which happened while Brigitte was still married to the father of her three children.

His parents were shocked by the explosive revelation and removed their teen son from the school in Amiens, in northern France, and sent him to finish his education in Paris.

Macron married his wife in 2007 after Brigitte’s previous marriage ended in divorce.

The former economics minister is step-father to his wife’s three adult children, including son Sebastien who is two years older than Macron.

Macron does not have any biological children with his wife, although he is also the step-grandfather of Brigitte’s seven grandchildren.

September 19, 2025
Read More >>

I went undercover to expose Dubai’s sick sex parties & string of mystery ‘suicides’… and discovered the horrific truth

IN the gilded halls of Dubai’s most exclusive nightclubs, Runako Celina watched on in horror as vulnerable young women rubbed shoulders with VIPs and celebrities – touting themselves for sex.

Going undercover to expose the disturbing phenomenon of so-called ‘Porta Potty’ parties, the reporter had infiltrated a dark world of mysterious ‘suicides‘ and vile sex rings allegedly catering for top clientele including “musicians, footballers and presidents”.

Maria Kovalchuk in a pink dress.
East2West

OnlyFans model Maria Kovalchuk, 20, was found seriously wounded in Dubai after going missing for more than a week[/caption]

Maria Kovalchuk, OnlyFans model, in wheelchair interview.
East2West

Maria later revealed she was beaten into a coma by Russians at a Dubai party[/caption]

Illustration of a woman in a blue dress sitting in a chair.
BBC Eye / BBC World of Secrets

Monic Karungi fell to her death from the tenth storey of a Dubai tower[/caption]

Woman walking in Dubai at night.
Runako Celina investigated the dark world of sex trafficking in Dubai in a new documentary
BBC Eye / BBC World of Secrets

In a new BBC documentary, titled Death in Dubai: #DubaiPortaPotty, Runako reveals how shameless traffickers have taken grip in the glamorous city, holding young women against their will until they agree to sell their bodies for sex.

The show also explores the deaths of two young women who fell from high-rise tower blocks in the city, with their families now questioning the official rulings of suicide and raising serious concerns about the thoroughness of investigations.

The phrase Porta Potty, first coined by comedian Dave Chapelle, refers to men who get a kick out of subjecting women to depraved sex acts.

In the film, one alleged ringleader behind a Dubai trafficking ring that facilitates women for such warped parties is tracked down.

Charles ‘Abbey’ Mwesigwa, who has strong connections to the UK and describes himself as a former London bus driver, tells an undercover male reporter posing as a potential client that his “girls” are “open-minded” when asked if they’d consider “Porta Potty.”

Mwesigwa has since denied being involved in sex trafficking or playing any part in related violence.

The documentary and an accompanying six-part podcast show the dark side of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is now home to an estimated quarter of a million British expats including countless celebrities.

Young women are lured to the wealthy nation with offers of legitimate jobs and a bling lifestyle, only to find themselves being forced into prostitution.

There are reports of influencers from Britain and other Western countries being offered huge sums of money to take part in cruel sex acts in the oil-rich state.

Many of the clients are European men who go to Dubai to take part in these depraved parties, knowing that the police turn a blind eye to what’s going on.

It is estimated that there are 80,000 sex workers in the city, which has a population of three million.

Investigative reporter Runako, who posed as an influencer so she could film in Dubai, tells The Sun: “We were in the glamorous super clubs of Dubai and there were celebrities on the guest list.

“It was in these places I felt the tension the most, where I felt unsafe, where I was propositioned.

“There were people from all over the world who seemed to be making negotiations with men.”

‘Suicide’ mystery

Runako wanted to uncover the truth after reports of Monic Karungi’s death in April 2022 received 450million views on social media.

The 23-year-old from Uganda, who went under the name Mona Kizz on Instagram, was called a “sl*t” when a video appeared to show her taking part in a Porta Potty party.

But Runako worked out that it wasn’t Monic in the clip and sought out the dead woman’s family in the central African nation.

One of her relatives insists: “My Monic can’t commit suicide.” 

Friends told how a man called Bash Umar promised Monic work in bars or hotels in Dubai.

But when she got to the glittering city, she was held in a grubby flat with 50 girls who were all forced to work in the sex trade.

The girls were allegedly told they had to work off a £2,000 debt for their visa and travel, but he never let them go no matter how many men they slept with.

There is no way she committed suicide. My sister loved life


Kayla’s brother

One of the other victims is Kayla Birungi, who fell from the 13th floor of an apartment in 2021.

A police investigation concluded it was suicide.

But one of her brothers says: “She was my best friend. She told me she was coming back to Uganda.

“There is no way she committed suicide. My sister loved life. We need justice for our sister.” 

Troy, a former operations manager for Mwesigwa’s gang, told the documentary that Kayla went on to the balcony alone after vaping with an Arab client. Toxicology reports found no trace of drugs or alcohol in her system.

Another source told Runako that the client had argued with Kayla prior to her death.

Both Monic and Kayla plummeted from apartments in the same part of Dubai called Al Barsha.

Man holding up a UK driving licence.
BBC

Charles Mwesigwa, a former London bus driver pictured with a UK driving licence, is unmasked in the documentary as the alleged boss of a degrading sex-trade ring[/caption]

Woman taking a selfie in a brightly lit room.
Runako posed as an influencer so she could film in Dubai
BBC Eye / BBC World of Secrets
Aerial view of Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road at night.
Getty

Dubai has a glitzy image but a seedy underbelly[/caption]

Famous clients

Troy, who says he tried to help some of the women escape and quit the trade after a year, claims that Mwesigwa took his trafficked women to the most upmarket clubs in order to find men willing to pay for sex.

The sex workers would be asked to sleep with powerful and famous names.

Troy claims: “They see musicians, they see footballers, they see presidents because the places Abbey [Mwesigwa] takes them to are fantastic places in Dubai, those expensive clubs.

“These are men who come from different countries in the world, they look for girls who will fulfil their sex desires.

“I have heard about the type of sex that I have never seen in my life.”

Degrading sex acts

Woman on balcony overlooking ocean, holding a glass of wine.
East2West

Maria is one of a number of women to speak out about Dubai’s dark underworld[/caption]

Woman in a straw hat and denim outfit walking down a city street.
Instagram

Kayla Birungi also died after falling from a Dubai high-rise building[/caption]

Family members holding framed photos of deceased loved one.
BBC Eye / BBC World of Secrets

Monic’s family hold up photos of her[/caption]

There are other sex rings operating in the Emirati state.

A woman using the false name of Lexi, who was trafficked by another illegal prostitution network, tells how she was offered up to £3,000 to take part in humiliating “fetish” acts.

And Kayla and Monic are just two examples of suspicious deaths.

Anti-trafficking activist Marriam Mwiza, who runs the non-governmental organisation Overseas Workers Voices Uganda, sees dead bodies landing back home.

She explains: “We get cases of people who have been promised to work, let’s say, in a supermarket. Then she ends up sold as a prostitute. 

“I get like five to ten cases daily. Every month I see the number of cases, bodies landing at Entebbe airport. 

“Most are from Dubai. If nothing is done, we are likely to go back into a state of slave trade.”

Every month I see the number of cases, bodies landing


Marriam Mwiza

But it is not just women from Uganda. There are plenty of other disturbing stories coming from the UAE.

One British influencer claimed on TikTok that a prince had offered her £16,000 to engage in a sex act and earlier this year Ukrainian OnlyFans model Maria Kovalchuk, 20, said she was beaten into a coma by Russians at a Dubai party.

Runako says: “This was described to me as a phenomenon, something that is very frequently happening and not just to women of African descent.”

The UK connection

Mwesigwa’s alleged operation shows the international nature of the problem.

The documentary hears how the alleged trafficker regularly travels back to the UK and brings young women from Uganda on tourist visas to the UAE.

Troy claims: “He is selling humans. 

“He will use TikTok to find the girls he wants. He will ask his clients what kind of girls they want. He gets people in Uganda to find the girls, he applies for a visa and within three days he has one for them

“He takes them to nice restaurants to brainwash them into the business. Those who say they are not willing to provide sex… he locks them in their room until they are ready to work.”

Because they have overstayed on their tourist visa, such women are often too scared to go to the police.

Troy adds: “These girls are traumatised. You can’t go home because you know you are hunted by the police.” 

Mwesigwa said in a statement to the BBC: “These are all false allegations. I’m just a party person who invites big spenders on my tables hence making many girls flock to my tables. 

“I knew both girls and they were renting with different landlords. If no one in both flats was arrested or any of the landlords, then there was a reason. 

“Both incidents were investigated by the Dubai police and maybe they can help you.”

For Runako, it is also important that social media users in the West don’t jump to conclusions when rumours spread about people they don’t know.

She says: “The internet painted a picture of Monic as a money-hungry influencer.”

Those people who met Monic insist she did not give into requests to take part in degrading acts.

And that all she wanted was to get back home.

Death in Dubai: #DubaiPortaPotty is available now on BBC iPlayer. There is also a six-part podcast titled Death in Dubai on BBC Sounds.

September 15, 2025
Read More >>