Uganda, India in talks to return Musumba

May 03, 2013

Diplomatic efforts are being made to ensure that former minister, Isaac Musumba, Igara east MP, Michael Mawanda and businessman, Mathias Magoola return home.

By Joyce Namutebi  
         
Diplomatic efforts are being made to ensure that former minister, Isaac Musumba, Igara east MP, Michael Mawanda and businessman, Mathias Magoola return home.


"We have appealed to the Indian Government to see whether they can be released since they have not been charged," Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Ambassador, James Mugume said Thursday. 
 
Musumba, Mawanda and Magoola are still being held in India over claims that they attempted to extort $20m (sh50b) from directors of Videocon India, an electronics company.

Mugume when contacted by The New Vision said, "Since they have not been charged the appeal is to allow them leave India."

On Wednesday, President Museveni phoned Musumba and asked him about the situation. "The President called me twice this morning asking whether we are okay," Musumba said without divulging the details.

Musumba maintains that the allegations against them are "bogus." He said they want the complaint lodged against them resolved before they leave India saying "some of us can't afford to have a complaint against us anywhere in the world without being resolved.

Musumba maintained that the trio has never been arrested in India. "We have never gone to police," he said adding that they are in possession of their passports because the law there does not allow police to hold somebody's passport for more than 24 hours.

Recently, a source said that Uganda's High Commission in New Dehli and Uganda's foreign affairs ministry are trying their best to get them home.

"Even India's minister for external affairs came here and the Embassy has been following up the matter." the source said.
            
    

 

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