Besigye treason case trial resumes today

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The trial of four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale resumes today at 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.

In the last court session (March 12), the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Thomas Jatiko, told court that the State had filed an application seeking protective measures for six crucial witnesses.

Jatiko requested Justice Emmanuel Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court to allow the delayed disclosure of the witnesses’ identities. He was being assisted by Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka.

He informed court that the prosecution served the defence team with five witness statements on March 11, 2026.

Jatiko, however, stated that the statements were submitted without the witnesses’ personal details such as names, places of residence, age and occupation.

“The omission was deliberate because the State has filed an application seeking permission from court to delay disclosure of the identities of six witnesses for their protection,” Jatiko stated.

He added that the witnesses were identified as A, B, C, D, E and F in the statements.

“My lord, save for the names and other personal particulars of the witnesses, the statements are complete,” Jatiko submitted.

Defence team objects

However, the defence team led by Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua opposed the application, accusing the prosecution of acting in bad faith and failing to comply with earlier court directions on full disclosure of evidence they intend to use during trial.

Other defence lawyers include Erias Lukwago, Earnest Kalibbala, Fred Mpanga, Bayern Turinawe, Farouk Kamulegeya, Abubakkar Ssekanjako, Kato Tumusiime and Simon Nsubuga.

Lukwago argued that the State had previously committed to making full disclosure of all evidence, but instead served statements without the necessary particulars.

He told court that witness statements should not contain narratives but must include all identifying details of the witnesses so the defence can properly prepare the case for the accused persons.

The defence lawyers also told court that the defence only received the documents on March 11, 2026, noting that the service was made to their law firms in the evening when some of them had left their offices.

They asked court to declare that disclosure has been completed so that the trial can proceed without further delays.

The Case

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), contrived to overturn the Government of Uganda by force of arms.

According to the charge sheet, the accused, knowing that another person intended to commit treason, did not give information to Ugandan authorities to prevent the commission of treason, which tantamount to misprision of treason.