The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has ordered the remand of former African Union policy adviser Michael Katungi Mpeirwe to Luzira Prison after he was arrested in Uganda in connection with extradition proceedings initiated at the request of the United States.
Katungi was presented before Chief Magistrate Ritah Neumbe Kidasa on Monday evening, following a warrant of arrest issued on June 23, 2026. The warrant was meant to secure his appearance as Uganda begins formal processes linked to the extradition request.
Court documents indicate that the United States is seeking his surrender to face criminal charges arising from an indictment filed before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division.
Prosecutors allege that Katungi, together with Bulgarian national Peter Dimitrov Mirchev, Kenyan national Elisha Odhiambo Asumo, and Tanzanian national Subiro Osmund Mwapinga, conspired to traffic five kilograms or more of cocaine, allegedly aware that the narcotics were destined for unlawful importation into the United States.
The group is also accused of conspiring to acquire and possess firearms, including machine guns and explosive devices, in support of a drug trafficking enterprise. In addition, they are alleged to have conspired to provide material assistance to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.
State Attorneys Adrian Asingwire and Joan Keko told court that Uganda’s obligation to process the extradition request stems from the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Katungi, when given an opportunity to respond, informed the court that he was opposing extradition to the United States. His lawyers, led by Samuel Kakande and assisted by Ramadhan Akatwijuka and Musa Nsamba, also objected to the proceedings. They indicated plans to raise preliminary legal challenges questioning both the procedure and legality of the extradition process.
The defence argued that they had not been provided with key documents the State intends to rely on, saying this limited their ability to prepare an adequate response. They also asked the court to grant Katungi bail pending determination of the extradition application.
However, the State opposed both the bail request and the demand for disclosure, arguing that the matter was still at a preliminary stage. Prosecutors maintained that the arrest warrant was only intended to secure Katungi’s presence in court for the start of extradition proceedings, not to determine the merits of the case.
They further submitted that Katungi’s initial appearance was meant to establish whether he would consent to extradition or contest it. Since he objected, the prosecution requested an early hearing date to formally file and argue the extradition case.
Defence lawyer Musa Nsamba countered that no substantive extradition application had yet been filed and argued that the State had relied on ex parte proceedings to secure the arrest warrant. He urged the court to release Katungi unconditionally.
In her ruling, Magistrate Kidasa held that Katungi was lawfully before court under a valid warrant issued to ensure his attendance at the commencement of extradition proceedings. She declined to grant bail at this stage, finding the application premature.
The court directed the prosecution to file its formal extradition application by July 1, 2026, while the defence was ordered to respond by July 7. The matter was scheduled for hearing on July 10, 2026, and Katungi was remanded to Luzira Prison until then.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, investigators allege that from at least September 2022, Mirchev, Asumo, Katungi and Mwapinga were involved in a scheme to supply military-grade weapons to Mexican drug trafficking networks, particularly the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), described by U.S. authorities as one of the most violent transnational criminal organisations.
The alleged weapons included machine guns, rocket launchers, grenades, sniper rifles, anti-personnel mines, night-vision systems, anti-aircraft weapons and surface-to-air missile systems.
U.S. prosecutors further allege that the suspects believed the CJNG would use the weapons to facilitate large-scale cocaine trafficking into the United States. In February 2025, the CJNG was designated by U.S. authorities as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.
The indictment claims Mirchev recruited Asumo to obtain a falsified End-User Certificate from an African country to conceal the destination of the arms. Asumo allegedly brought Katungi into the arrangement, who in turn recruited Mwapinga.
The group is said to have later obtained an End-User Certificate from Tanzania authorising the importation of AK-47 rifles. Using that documentation, prosecutors allege, Mirchev and others exported a test shipment of 50 AK-47 rifles, magazines and ammunition from Bulgaria, intended ultimately for the cartel.
Authorities also claim the group planned a larger arms shipment valued at about €53.7 million (approximately US$58 million), involving drones and anti-aircraft systems, while using falsified documentation to disguise the final recipients.
Investigators further allege that Mirchev had previously been linked to international arms trafficker Viktor Bout in earlier arms-related cases.
Katungi previously served as Commissioner for External Affairs and was a member of the Central Committee of the Patriotic League of Uganda. He was later relieved of his duties following the onset of investigations and was arrested shortly after the arrest warrant was issued.
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