The Government of Uganda has approved the extradition of retired UPDF officer and NRM flag bearer for Butemba Constituency, Michael Katungi, to the United States, where he faces serious allegations linked to international arms trafficking and cocaine smuggling.
Katungi, a former African Union (AU) policy adviser and ex-Commissioner for External Affairs, also previously served on the Central Committee of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political organisation chaired by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Arrest and Court Appearance
Katungi was arrested over the weekend after a U.S. extradition warrant was formally executed in Uganda. He is wanted by American prosecutors to answer charges filed at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division.
He appeared before Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa on Monday, marking the beginning of Uganda’s extradition proceedings.
State attorneys Adrian Asingwire and Joan Keko told court that the request is anchored in the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, which obliges member states to cooperate on extradition involving transnational drug offences.
Defence Challenges Extradition
Katungi, through his legal team led by Samuel Kakande and assisted by Ramadhan Akatwijuka and Musa Nsamba, rejected the extradition request and indicated plans to challenge both the legality and procedure of the case.
The defence argued that key documents had not been disclosed, making it difficult to respond adequately, and applied for bail pending determination of the extradition request.
Prosecution opposed both bail and disclosure, arguing that proceedings were still at a preliminary stage and Katungi was only being produced in court to confirm whether he would consent to or contest extradition.
State attorney Adrian Asingwire maintained that formal extradition proceedings had not yet commenced, making bail premature.
However, defence lawyer Musa Nsamba insisted the arrest was based on ex parte proceedings and pushed for Katungi’s unconditional release.
Court Ruling and Timeline
Chief Magistrate Kidasa ruled that Katungi was lawfully brought before court under a valid arrest warrant issued for extradition proceedings.
She declined to grant bail and directed the prosecution to file the formal extradition application by July 1, 2026, with the defence required to respond by July 7, 2026.
The matter was adjourned to July 10, 2026, for hearing, with Katungi remanded to Luzira Prison.
U.S. Allegations: Drugs and Arms Trafficking Network
According to U.S. court documents, Katungi is accused alongside Bulgarian national Peter Dimitrov Mirchev, Kenyan Elisha Odhiambo Asumo, and Tanzanian Subiro Osmund Mwapinga of conspiring to traffic five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States.
Prosecutors further allege the group coordinated the supply of military-grade weapons intended for a powerful Mexican criminal organisation designated as a foreign terrorist entity by U.S. authorities.
Alleged Weapons in the Network
- Machine guns
- Rocket launchers
- Grenades
- Sniper rifles
- Anti-aircraft systems
- Missile equipment
Investigators say the network allegedly used falsified end-user certificates to disguise arms shipments and route them through African jurisdictions.
They further claim Katungi was recruited into the operation through links involving Mirchev and Asumo, with allegations that a test shipment of AK-47 rifles had already been exported from Bulgaria under false documentation.
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