International businesswoman Vasundhara Oswal has filed a human rights petition before the High Court of Uganda, accusing senior security officials of illegally and arbitrarily arresting her, and then detaining her for nearly three weeks in October 2024, despite a court order for her release and the absence of any evidence.
Among those implicated are several senior Ugandan officials: Assistant Inspector General of Police and Director of Interpol, Joseph Obwona; former Police Commissioner in charge of Interpol, Allison Agaba; Joseph Kyomuhendo, head of the Human Trafficking Division at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP); and Thomas Baale, a police detective and investigating officer.
27-year-old European of Indian origin Vasundhara Oswal is the CEO of PRO Industries, a $100 million ethanol plant located in the Luwero district, described as the largest facility of its kind in East Africa. She claims that her constitutional and fundamental rights have been “seriously and repeatedly violated,” accusing certain officials of conspiring to unlawfully detain her. PRO Industries is considered a flagship industrial investment in the country.
According to the petition, Mrs. Oswal was denied access to her lawyers, deprived of her medication, and subjected to humiliating and degrading treatment in detention. Her family alleges that agents demanded money in exchange for access to basic needs such as food and hygiene products. She also accuses police and prison administration officials of colluding with local economic actors to unlawfully extend her detention.
The case has attracted the attention of human rights lawyers and economic analysts, who believe it highlights broader concerns regarding the rule of law in Uganda.
In her petition, Mrs. Oswal seeks justice, accountability, and reforms, urging the High Court to prosecute those responsible for “facilitating illegal arrest and imprisonment,” and to declare that her constitutional rights have been violated. Her family has also approached the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Speaking through a spokesperson, the family described the incident as a “blatant violation” of Ugandan law and international standards, calling for “accountability and systemic reforms so that no individual, Ugandan or foreign, will suffer such abuses in the future.”
In a statement, Mrs. Oswal stated that her family remains committed to Uganda despite this ordeal, emphasizing that their investment is aimed at making a sustainable contribution to the country’s industrial development.
She expressed confidence that the courts will reaffirm the country’s commitment to the rule of law by ensuring accountability, stating that the incident “does not reflect a failure of the system as such, but rather the actions of a limited number of individuals.” She also thanked President Yoweri Museveni, who visited the PRO Industries plant in December 2025, for his “industrial leadership and constant support.”
