Gashumba's lawyers run to court

Lawyers representing Frank Gashumba and brother Innocent Kasumba, have petitioned  the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court seeking for their release from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka.

In the petition filed on Thursday afternoon, Dennis Nyombi, the lawyer, said the continued detention of the duo "is unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful."

Nyombi argued that his clients have not been produced to court within the constitutionally provided time of 48hours since they were arrested on Sunday.

The UPDF, which carried out the arrest said on Tuesday that Gashumba was detained because he was impersonating senior ministry of Defence to con foreign firms in dubious deals.

The army claimed he would convene meetings with his unsuspecting victims at some of the top hotels in Kampala and convince them that he was a representative of the  ministry of defence.

In one of the meetings, Gashumba and his accomplices allegedly inked a $12 million dollar deal.

The UPDF also searched his home and allegedly discovered cocaine and marijuana.

Gashumba has not yet spoken out against the charges.

Since their detention, Nyombi said Gashumba and Kasumba have been denied access to family,friends, a physician and lawyers.

"These are afraid that their loved ones maybe undergoing torture, inhumane and degrading treatment," Nyombi pleaded.

"It's against this background that their continued detention is unjustified and therefore warrants courts intervention to secure their release."

The duo's application has been filed against the Attorney General. Court did not set a date for hearing of the petition.