Court Clears Extradition of Michael Katungi to US for Cocaine, Weapons, and Terror Charges

Michael Katungi Mpeirwe will remain incarcerated as he awaits a crucial decision from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs regarding his potential extradition to the United States. This development follows a ruling by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court, which has paved the way for the surrender process.

Chief Magistrate Ritah Kidasa Neumbe delivered the order on August 28, 2026, committing Katungi to prison. He is wanted by the US government to stand trial in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The charges he faces are significant: conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess firearms including a machine gun in connection with drug trafficking, and conspiracy to provide support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, identified as Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).

Katungi, a former director of Diaspora Affairs within the PLU’s global leadership, had attempted to block the extradition through various preliminary objections. His legal team questioned the Minister of Justice’s authority, the roles of the Solicitor General and Director of Public Prosecutions, the procedural commencement of the case, and whether Katungi was entitled to diplomatic immunity from his prior service as a deputy head of mission.

However, Chief Magistrate Neumbe dismissed all these objections. The court determined that Katungi’s claimed diplomatic immunity, related to his service in Nigeria, did not apply to his situation in Uganda or the United States. The court also found that the Director of Public Prosecutions had the standing to conduct the extradition proceedings, aligning with Uganda’s Constitution and the Extradition Act.

While acknowledging that no Ugandan police file existed against Katungi and the primary Ugandan witness lacked personal knowledge, the court deemed the authenticated US indictment, extradition request, arrest warrant, and evidence of identity sufficient to meet the legal threshold for committal. The charges were found to satisfy dual criminality and were not considered political offenses.

Consequently, Katungi is committed to prison, awaiting the Minister’s final decision on whether he will be surrendered to the United States to face these grave accusations. The ruling emphasized that any surrender would be strictly limited to the three charges specified in the US indictment.

This story was first reported by the Daily Monitor.