Turkey based Ugandan blogger Fred Lumbuye is reportedly being held at Gulu Airforce Base in Northern Uganda.
The Observer Newspaper says the arrested controversial blogger landed at Entebbe International Airport on 8 August, 2021 but the airport manifest for August 7-8 was allegedly confiscated by Special Forces Command (SFC).
According to security sources, Lumbuye arrived in the country aboard Turkish Airlines, which touched down at Entebbe International Airport on Saturday at around 3 am.
He was held at the police station in the passenger terminal for two hours where he was interrogated and whisked off to Kampala. Multiple security sources say that Lumbuye was escorted by Turkish security operatives who took him through immigration and the police station for clearance.
He was taken to the Turkish Embassy for further management until when he was handed over officially to the government.
“Fred Lumbuye is reportedly being held at Gulu Airforce base in northern Uganda as security continues to hunt for 11 of his alleged conspirators who ‘were feeding him with state secrets,” The Observer stated on Saturday.
Earlier today, the National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya revealed that Lumbuye who was arrested last week might have been brought into Uganda by President Yoweri Museveni’s government using mafia-style.
Responding to the numerous questions and concerns regarding the case of Lumbuye, Rubongoya said that as NUP, they have tried everything to locate Lumbuye but the efforts are still futile.
” He may still be in Turkey, but he might have been brought into Uganda mafia-style. That is why our efforts have been multi-pronged.As soon as we have new information, it will be shared accordingly,” Rubongoya said.
On Monday, Uganda Police said Lumbuye was not in their custody.
While addressing the media, the force’s spokesperson Fred Enanga said that they however have 15 cases that they will bring against the controversial blogger once he is handed over to them.
“We don’t have Lumbuye but what we have are 15 case files against him. Don’t ask us if he is here or not because we don’t know but as soon as he is handed over to us we are ready, ” Enanga said.
“When he is handed over to us, we shall come out with the full statement. Whether he is in the country or not, as police once he is handed over to us we shall process him with the 15 file cases we have on him,” he added.
The prepared charges he said, include among others spreading harmful propaganda and terrorism videos, inciting violence and other cyber crimes.
Following the arrest , the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem, confirmed to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices in Kampala last Friday that the plane transporting Lumbuye was expected to land the following day at Entebbe International Airport before he is charged with promoting sectarianism and instigating violence.
However, despite the Minister’s confirmation about Lumbuye’s deportation, the blogger is yet to be seen anywhere in Uganda.
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