Besigye to High court on treason charges as lawyers storm out

The Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s court has committed Dr Kizza Besigye, Obeid Lutale, and Captain Denis Oola to the High court to face charges of treason and misprision of treason.

This followed a submission by chief state attorney Richard Birivumbuka, who informed the court that investigations had been completed. Chief magistrate Christine Nantege proceeded to commit the trio in the absence of Besigye’s lawyers, who had stormed out in protest after the magistrate declined to halt proceedings and refer the case to the High court.

Besigye’s legal team, which includes Kenyan national Martha Karua, Eron Kiiza, and Fredrick Mpanga, among others, had sought to have the case file transferred to the High court for a review of the magistrate’s decision to dismiss their application for mandatory bail release.

The application was grounded on the claim that Besigye had been held on remand for over 180 days without trial. Besigye supported his lawyers’ move, telling the court that he had instructed them to prioritise his release and pursue a High court revision.

He lamented the continued abuse he claims to have suffered at the hands of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who has previously charged him with treason on three occasions, and the police, who once allegedly falsified evidence against him in a rape case.

He later asked the court to stay the committal proceedings, indicating that he would appoint a new legal team since the current team was pursuing a High court review. Besigye also requested the Constitutional court to interpret whether he had waived his right to legal representation.

A visibly frustrated Besigye then instructed his supporters to walk out of the courtroom, describing the proceedings as a “kangaroo court.” Unfazed, the magistrate ordered the presentation and reading of the committal papers.

As a result, Besigye, Lutale, and Oola will remain on remand until the High court sets a date for trial. According to the prosecution, between 2023 and November 2024, at various locations including Geneva (Switzerland), Athens (Greece), Nairobi (Kenya), and Kampala (Uganda), the accused allegedly conspired to overthrow the Ugandan government.

The prosecution claims the trio held meetings, solicited funds, and acquired firearms as part of this plot. The group is also accused of failing to report knowledge of the treasonous plans to the appropriate authorities.

The committal documents presented in court allege that Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye Kifefe, a former senior army officer and founding member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), used international platforms in Geneva, Athens, and Nairobi in 2023 and 2024 to coordinate plans to topple the government.

These meetings allegedly involved foreign operatives, including a Kurdish intelligence agent identified only as “AW,” with whom Besigye reportedly discussed military training, sabotage, and a potential assassination attempt on President Yoweri Museveni via drone strike.

The DPP further alleges that Besigye solicited and received $5,000 from AW to facilitate the transport of 36 Ugandans to Kisumu, Kenya, for paramilitary training. However, the group was reportedly arrested before training commenced and deported to Uganda, where they now face terrorism charges.

The prosecution claims the entire operation was monitored and recorded by AW, who was working in collaboration with Ugandan military intelligence. Besigye is also accused of requesting military-grade weapons—including surface-to-air missiles—alongside counterfeit currency and ricin poison, allegedly targeting military barracks and critical installations across the country.

The state intends to rely on video and audio recordings, social media chats, immigration records, and call logs during the trial. Besigye and Lutale were arrested on November 17, 2024, in Kenya, allegedly in possession of pistols and other items.

Oola, on the other hand, is said to have joined the plot in October 2023 and to have expressed his support for the coup via WhatsApp. The prosecution claims all three acted with common intention and failed to report the treasonous plans.

The intended evidence, as contained in the amended indictment, was read out in court in the absence of the defence team.

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