By Andrew Irumba and Ronaldo N kalangi
Angella Kayihura, wife to now embattled former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen.Kale Kayihura has disowned city lawyers, Caleb Alaka of Alaka & Company Advocates and Evans Ochieng.
In her statement issued on Monday afternoon, Angella, said no member of Kayihura’s family has met, talked to or even gave instructions to the two lawyers to represent the former police chief in court as reported by the media.
“This is to inform the general public that neither General Kale Kayihura nor any member of his family has met, talked to or instructed Mr. Evans Ochieng or Mr. Caleb Alaka or their law firms to represent Gen Kale Kayihura as alleged in the media,” the statement read in part.
The letter continued, “Gen Kayihura’s and our own lawyers are M/s Kampala Associated Advocates. To date, neither Gen Kayihura nor any member of his family has instructed any lawyer to file any application in any court for any purpose, statements to that effect are false”.
Kampala Associated Advocates confirmed the authenticity of the statement. The statement follows claims by Alaka and Ochieng that they had been denied access to their client, Kayihura. Alaka told TheSpy Uganda that they would be filing a habeas corpus application in court to compel security operatives to produce the General in court.
A habeas corpus application is made in court seeking orders to compel authorities to present a suspect in court who is deemed to be unfairly detained. Kayihura was picked up by the military operatives from his country home in Kashagama in Lyantonde District on Wednesday last week. He was airlifted to the army headquarters in Mbuya for questioning.
He was later taken to Makindye military barracks where he is still holed up. Both Alaka and Ochieng confirmed that they had tried to access Kayihura on Friday and Saturday but they were turned away by the military.
But Who Are Gen.Kayihura’s Lawyers-The Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA)?
Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA) is an international law firm based in Uganda with a presence in the countries of the African Great Lakes. It was founded in 2001 by prominent city lawyer Elly Kurahanga, who also doubles as the Chairman of Uganda Chamber of Mines and Petroleum. Elly also serves as the Chairman of DFCU Bank, the second-largest commercial Bank in Uganda, with total assets valued at US$975 million, as of 31 January 2017.
Mr. David Mpanga, one of Rtd.Col.Dr.Kizza Besigye’s most trusted lawyers serves as the Managing Partner for Kampala Associated Advocates.
KAA has a global partnership with Dentons, a multinational law firm based in London and Washington, DC. In 2017 KAA signed paperwork calling for a merger between KAA and Dentons, pending regulatory approval. Its partnership with continental law firms is known as the African Association and grants KAA connection to law firms in South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Algeria, Burundi, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.
The firm specializes in a range of legal issues from litigation to corporate matters.
KAA has 26 lawyers, of whom 15 are partners, two senior consultants and 15 support staff, making it one of the largest legal practices in Uganda.
