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Uganda police not handling Musumba's alleged extortion case, says Kasingye
Interpol boss Asan Kasingye (L) replaces slain Andrew Felix Kaweesi (R) as police spokesperson
The police cannot intervene in the case where a former minister, a lawmaker and businessman are being held in India over alleged extortion because they have not been requested to do so, a senior police officer has said.
Former Regional Cooperation minister Isaac Musumba, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda and businessman Mathias Magoola were arrested in India for allegedly attempting to extort $20m (Shs50 billion) from four directors of Videocon, an India-based electronics company in April this year.
The International Police and Peace Support Director, Mr Asan Kasingye, told the Daily Monitor yesterday: “By Friday, no one had written to us about their case. But what I know is that the case is being handle by the Foreign Affairs (ministry) and Interpol can’t come in until it has been asked to provide some help.”
Mr Kasingye, however, said he last had contact with Mr Musumba and Mr Mawanda before they left for India.
The trio led by Mr Musumba reportedly claimed that they had a warrant of arrest for the four directors of Videocon and they had gone to India to execute it.
Earlier, the junior Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Henry Oryem Okello, told MPs that India refused to release Mr Musumba and Mr Mawanda unless the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proved the authenticity of their diplomatic passports.
Mr Oryem said the Uganda government had asked that the duo be extradited and investigated in Uganda since they have diplomatic immunity.
Often such verifications, which are related to criminal cases between two countries go through Interpol.
