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Besigye treason case resumes with selection of assessors
Besigye and Lutale are jointly charged with treason and misprision of treason alongside Capt. Denish Oyaa Oola of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, attached to the Armoured Brigade. The offence attracts a maximum sentence of death upon conviction.
Four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale. (File)
By: Barbra Kabahumuza and Michael Odeng, Journalists @New Vision
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The hearing of the treason case against four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale resumes Monday (June 8) with the selection of court assessors.
On June 1 this year, five assessors were presented before the court for selection. Assessors are non-lawyers who sit with a judge to assist in evaluating the evidence and circumstances of a case.
The defence team and state prosecutors will review the assessors’ qualifications and related documents before jointly selecting three assessors to take part in the trial.
In a criminal trial, court assessors give their opinion before the presiding judge or judges deliver their ruling. However, their opinion is not binding and may be disregarded by the judge.
The case is being presided over by Justice Emmanuel Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court in Kampala.
Besigye and Lutale are jointly charged with treason and misprision of treason alongside Capt. Denish Oyaa Oola of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, attached to the Armoured Brigade. The offence attracts a maximum sentence of death upon conviction.
The defence team comprises Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua, Erias Lukwago, Ernest Kalibbala, Fred Mpanga, Bayern Turinawe, Farouk Kamulegeya, Abubakkar Ssekanjako, Kato Tumusiime and Simon Nsubuga.
The state is represented by assistant director of public prosecutions, Thomas Jatiko, and chief state attorney Richard Birivumbuka.
The case
The case is being presided over by Justice Emmanuel Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court in Kampala.
Besigye and Lutale are jointly charged with treason and misprision of treason alongside Capt. Denish Oyaa Oola of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, attached to the Armoured Brigade. The offence attracts a maximum sentence of death upon conviction.
The defence team comprises Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua, Erias Lukwago, Ernest Kalibbala, Fred Mpanga, Bayern Turinawe, Farouk Kamulegeya, Abubakkar Ssekanjako, Kato Tumusiime and Simon Nsubuga.
The state is represented by assistant director of public prosecutions, Thomas Jatiko, and chief state attorney Richard Birivumbuka.
The case
The prosecution alleges that Besigye, Lutale, Oola and others, still at large, between 2023 and 2024 in various countries, including Switzerland, Greece, Kenya and in Kampala, Uganda, conspired to overthrow the Government of Uganda by force of arms.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons, knowing that another person intended to commit treason, failed to report the information to Ugandan authorities to prevent the commission of the offence, which amounts to misprision of treason.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons, knowing that another person intended to commit treason, failed to report the information to Ugandan authorities to prevent the commission of the offence, which amounts to misprision of treason.