Besigye's treason case: Justice Baguma declines to step down

KAMPALA - High Court judge Emmanuel Baguma has today, October 15, 2025, declined to recuse himself from a case in which four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide, Hajji Obeid Lutale, are accused of treason.

Besigye had wanted Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court, to recuse himself from the case, citing bias and incompetence.

According to Besigye, Baguma exhibited bias and incompetence during the hearing and ruling in their mandatory bail application. Besigye and Lutale were denied bail.

According to Besigye, Baguma exhibited bias and incompetence during the hearing and ruling in their mandatory bail application. Besigye and Lutale were denied bail. (All Photos by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Besigye and his co-accused arrive at the Hight Court today.

However, Justice Baguma refused to step down from the case, saying it is not proper for litigants to use court decisions, which are not in their favour, to ask the judge to recuse himself from the case.

He said that the remedies and procedures for challenging such decisions are provided for under the law.

"I do not find grounds for recusal based on allegations of bias and incompetence. The application is, therefore, dismissed based on those grounds," Baguma ruled.

The judge also ruled that the Criminal Division of the High Court has jurisdiction to handle Besigye's case.

The Uganda Prisons bus in which Besigye and his co-accused travelled from Luzira Prison today.

The duo is represented by Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua, Earnest Kalibbala, Erias Lukwago and Fred Mpanga.

Besigye and Lutale are jointly charged with treason alongside a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer, Captain Denis Oola, attached to the armoured brigade. They also face charges of misprision of treason.

Allegations

Prosecution alleges that Besigye, Lutale, Oola and others still at large between 2023 and November 2024 at various places/countries including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya and Kampala in Uganda, contrived a plot act 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.

Besigye's lawyers at court before their case was heard.

Besigye's supporters in court.

According to the charge sheet Besigye, Lutale, Oola and others still at large between 2023 and November 2024, in the same countries, 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 endeavours to prevent the commission of treason.

Particulars of overt acts

Prosecution alleges that the accused persons travelled to various countries, including Switzerland, Greece and Kenya, for the purpose of attending meetings to further the plot to overturn the Government of Uganda.

Court documents indicate that the accused persons attended meetings with various individuals both physically and virtually in various places, including Geneva in Switzerland, Athens in Greece, Nairobi in Kenya and Kampala in furtherance of the plot to overturn the Government of Uganda.

According to the court documents, the accused persons provided logistical support and organised for several Ugandan citizens to travel to Kisumu, Kenya for the purpose of receiving training in various military and intelligence gathering techniques.

It is further alleged that the trio solicited for military, financial and other logistical support to overturn the Government.