Detained social commentator and businessman Frank Gashumba has finally been arraigned before court and released on bond after a week in detention. Gashumba who was arrested last week and has been detained at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka appeared before Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court on Monday.
Gashumba and his brother Innocent Kaumba were on Monday charged with impersonation, illegal posession of drugs and forgery by Buganda Road chief magistrate James Eremye Mawanda.
The accused have been released on a Shs 20 million non cash bond.
The Chief Magistrate stated that the two will enter a plea once the prosecutors have ended their industrial action. They will again appear in court on November 20.
Gashumba was arrested by Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) together with his brother Innocent Kasumba over allegations that the two disguised as government officials under the Ministry of Defense to defraud unsuspecting investors and the South Sudanesed government. The two were found in possession of several stamps and multiple passports.
On Monday, Gashumba’s lead lawyers Isaac Semakadde and Dennis Nyombi were present in court to make their case.
The lawyers lodged a petition before the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court seeking that Gashumba and his brother are either produced on be released unconditionally. A court order was subsequently issued to that effect.
Nyombi argued that his clients have not been produced to court within the constitutionally provided time of 48 hours since they were arrested.
Family members had began mounting pressure on the Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura through the media to put a stop on the ‘witch hunt’ of Gashumba.
During a press conference at the Police headquarters in Naguru on Monday, the Police spokesperson AIGP Asan Kasingye said that the court order was received late on Friday which made it difficult to have the suspects produced in court since courts don’t work during the weekend.
Kasingye had given assurance that the two would be arraigned for a court hearing as soon as possible.