Local musician Iryn Namubiru still in custody

By Hope Sande and Pidson Kareire

Local singer Iryn Namubiru has been arrested in Tokyo, Japan, where she had gone to perform at a music concert.

A source close to the singer confirmed that Namubiru was arrested at Tokyo International Airport, moments after her arrival.

Twaibu Ssekamate, the chairman of the Ugandan community in Japan, also confirmed the arrest.

He said Ugandans who had gathered in big numbers at the concert venue, later received reports that the musician had been arrested at the airport.

When they went to the airport, the Japanese Police reportedly told them that Namubiru was travelling on a French passport and they could, therefore, do nothing about her problems.

A source close to Namubiru told New Vision that she was found in possession of pellets mixed with groundnut seeds. Namubiru allegedly claimed that the parcel was given to her by a person in Uganda, who has relatives in Japan.

She had reportedly taken a direct flight from Nairobi to Japan.

Other sources hinted that Namubiru was arrested following a misunderstanding with her promoter in Japan, one Kim Ueno.

Namubiru’s performance was supposed to take place last Saturday at Yotsukaido Cultural Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

By press time, Namubiru was still being held by Japanese police, as she was reportedly seeking the intervention of the French embassy in Japan.

For the past week, the singer has been tweeting her excitement and looking forward to the concert in Japan.

Her promoter in Uganda, Balaam Barugahara, said if she was indeed arrested with drugs, then it was a set-up.