Court Clears Way for Kizza Besigye Treason Trial as Preliminary Hearing Concludes

KAMPALA, UGANDA – The High Court in Kampala has concluded the preliminary hearing phase of the treason case against opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, paving the way for the substantive trial to commence later this week.

Presiding over the matter on Monday, Justice Emmanuel Baguma appointed three assessors to participate in the trial despite objections raised by the defence team, which argued that key issues affecting the fairness of the proceedings remained unresolved.

The assessors appointed by the court are John Musana, Sarah Babirye, and Richard Okello.

Lawyers representing Dr. Besigye, Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, and UPDF officer Denis Oola opposed the move, contending that their clients had not been granted sufficient time and resources to adequately prepare for trial.

According to the defence, challenges in accessing the accused persons at Luzira Prison and delays in receiving all prosecution evidence had hindered preparations. The lawyers further noted that several applications, including those relating to bail, confidential access between lawyers and clients, and alleged violations of the accused persons’ rights, were still pending before court.

Lead defence counsel Elias Lukwago argued that proceeding with the appointment of assessors before addressing those concerns could compromise the rights of the accused and weaken public confidence in the judicial process.

However, state prosecutors maintained that the case was ready for trial and opposed any further delays. The prosecution argued that there were no outstanding agreed issues between the parties that warranted extending the preliminary stage.

In his ruling, Justice Baguma stated that the law does not require parties to reach consensus on all issues before a trial can proceed. He noted that where disagreements remain, the court is empowered to move forward with the hearing in accordance with established legal procedures.

The judge also informed the court that prison authorities had assured the judiciary that defence lawyers would be granted adequate access to their clients to prepare for the upcoming trial sessions.

Following the ruling, Dr. Besigye criticised the proceedings, expressing concerns about what he described as political interference by state institutions and questioning whether the accused would receive a fair trial.

Co-accused Denis Oola also raised concerns about the court’s decision, arguing that the defence had only recently been afforded sufficient access to the accused persons.

Dr. Besigye, Kamulegeya, and Oola are facing treason charges linked to allegations that they participated in meetings held in Uganda and abroad between 2023 and 2024 with the aim of overthrowing the government. The accused have denied all charges.

The High Court has directed the prosecution to present its first witness when the trial resumes on June 11, 2026, marking the start of the substantive hearing in one of Uganda’s most closely watched political cases.