Opposition leader Besigye charged with treason

Opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has been formally charged with treason at Nakawa Chief Magistrate's court in Kampala.

Besigye a four-time presidential candidate and a runner-up in the February presidential polls appeared before Chief Magistrate James Eremu Mawanda.

Prosecution informed court that investigations into the case were incomplete and the Magistrate sent Besigye on remand to Luzira Prison till June 1, 2016.

While in the dock Besigye told the Magistrate: "I have been persecuted for over 5 years and I have been charged with 50 offences but I have not been given a chance to defend myself."

He added that after the February general elections, he was put under illegal detention for over 40 days in un-gazzetted place.

Sections 23 of the Penal Code Act states that a person charged with treason suffers death upon conviction.

 Dr. Kizza Besigye (above) in the dock and upon arrival at court Nakawa court. Photos by Tonny Rujuta

SECTION 23 OF THE PENAL CODE ACT

Treason and offences against the State. (1) Any person who— (a) levies war against the Republic of Uganda;

(b) unlawfully causes or attempts to cause the death of the President or, with intent to maim or disfigure or disable, unlawfully wounds or does any harm to the person of the President, or aims at the person of the President any gun, offensive weapon, pistol or any description of firearm, whether it contains any explosive or destructive substance or not;

(c) contrives any plot, act or matter and expresses or declares such plot, act or matter by any utterance or by any overt act in order, by force of arms, to overturn the Government as by law established;

(d) aids or abets another person in the commission of the foregoing acts, or becomes an accessory before or after the fact to any of the foregoing acts or conceals any of those acts, commits an offence and shall suffer death.

(2) Any person who forms an intention to effect any of the following purposes— (a) to compel by force or constrain the Government as by law established to change its measures or counsels or to intimidate or overawe Parliament; or

(b) to instigate any person to invade the Republic of Uganda with an armed force, and manifests any such intention by an overt act or by any utterance or by publishing any printing or writing, commits an offence and shall suffer death.

 (3) Any person who advisedly attempts to effect any of the following purposes— (a) to incite any person to commit an act of mutiny or any treacherous or mutinous act; or (b) to incite any such person to make or endeavour to make a mutinous assembly, commits an offence and is liable to suffer death.

(4) Any person who advisedly attempts to seduce any person serving in the armed forces or any member of the police force or prison services or any other security service, by whatever name called, from his or her duty and allegiance to the Constitution commits an offence and is liable to suffer death.