Besigye charged with treason, remanded to Luzira prison

The Nakawa Chief Magistrates’ Court has today, February 21, 2025, charged Former Presidential Candidate Dr Kizza Besigye with treason and remanded to Luzira prison.

Besigye was remanded together with his longtime friend and aide, Hajji Obeid Lutale, along with Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer Capt. Denis Oola.

The trio also face an alternative charge of misprision of treason.

Besigye and Lutale have been facing trial in the General Court Martial, which the Supreme Court on January 31, 2025, said is illegal considering that outlawed they are civilians.

The verdict came at a time when Besigye and Lutale, who are accused of unlawfully possessing firearms and ammunition, were scheduled to return to the General Court Martial (GCM) on February 3.

Chief magistrate Esther Nyadoi today communicated the charges to the accused.

However, she declined them to plead to the charges saying, the offence is only triable by the High Court.

It is alleged that Besigye, Lutale, Oola and others still at large between 2023 and November 2024 in various places/countries, including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya and Kampala in Uganda, contrived a plot act or matter by force of arms to overturn the Government of Uganda as by law established and expressed or declared such plot act or matter by utterances and overt acts.

According to the charge sheet Besigye, Lutale, Oola and others still at large between the year 2023 and November 2024 at various places/countries including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya and Kampala, knowing that another person intended to commit treason, did not give information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to the Minister, an administrative officer, a Magistrate or an officer in charge of a police station or use all reasonable endeavors to prevent the commission of the treason.