Kizza Besigye, aide Lutale treason case hearing date set

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The High Court in Kampala says it will, on September 1, 2025, start hearing a case in which four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale, are accused of treason.

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.

The hearing notices were received by the law firms representing the accused person. They include Lukwago and Company Advocates, AF Mpanga Advocates and Martha Wangari Wanjira, a lawyer and Kenyan politician from the United Democratic Alliance.

“Take notice that the hearing of this case has been fixed for September 1, 2025, at 11:00am. The case will be heard by Justice Emmanuel Baguma,” High Court deputy registrar Samuel Twakyire said.

He warned that if no appearance is made by the accused and their lawyers or someone authorised by law to act for them, the case will be heard in their absence. The hearing notices were signed by the registrar on August 15, 2025.

The development comes two weeks after Justice Baguma of the Criminal Division of the High Court declined to grant bail to Besigye and Lutale. That was the third time the court had declined to release the duo on bail.

Instead, the judge stated that priority be given to hearing the main case (treason case).

“I accordingly direct the deputy registrar of this court to cause list the session case No. 335 of 2025 for immediate hearing,” Baguma earlier directed.

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.

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, Kenya for purposes 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 organising 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.