OMG!! See Why Besigye Won’t Return To Court Again

Former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye has threatened to boycott court proceedings, accusing the judicial system and the prosecution of unfair treatment in his ongoing treason trial.

Besigye, alongside his political ally Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya and Denis Oola, a captain in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), are facing charges of treason before the High Court. The three have been in custody since November 2024, awaiting trial.

On Thursday, the accused appeared before Justice Emmanuel Baguma for case scheduling following a directive issued during their previous court appearance on February 24. The session, however, quickly turned tense as the defence raised concerns over what it described as irregularities in how the prosecution has handled disclosure of evidence and witnesses.

During the hearing, lead defence lawyer Martha Karua, a former Kenyan justice minister, told the court that the defence had come prepared for case scheduling but was confronted with a prosecution application seeking to withhold the identity of a witness.

“What we expected to happen is the scheduling of the case; that is for the court to monitor compliance with disclosure and also to set dates for how the case will proceed,” Karua said.

“We were shocked when we came to court to find an application by the prosecution that they should not disclose the name of a certain witness,” she added, highlighting the unexpected nature of the move.

The defence further protested the manner in which the application was filed, arguing that it had not been properly served to them. Karua said the application was lodged only a day prior to the hearing and had already been scheduled for consideration without giving the defence adequate notice.

“We had not been served, our clients had not seen the application, and my colleague, Erias Lukwago, received the documents in his chambers after 6:30 pm. Most of the advocates were not even aware there was such a document,” she said.

The defence accused the court of showing preferential treatment to the prosecution, a claim that reflects growing tensions between the two sides.

Speaking from the dock, Besigye also raised concerns about what he described as unfair treatment. He warned that, if the situation continued, he might refuse to attend further court sessions.

“If you continue treating us unfairly, we will stop coming to court,” Besigye told Justice Baguma, emphasizing the depth of frustration among the accused.

In response, Justice Baguma instructed the prosecution to formally serve all defence lawyers with the fresh application and granted them two weeks to prepare a response. The court adjourned the matter to March 31 for mention.

Observers said the latest developments could prolong the case, which has already drawn significant national attention due to Besigye’s high-profile political status and the serious nature of the charges. Meanwhile, lawyers for both sides are expected to engage in legal arguments over disclosure, a procedural step that the defence insists is crucial for a fair trial.

The case continues to be closely watched by political analysts, civil society groups, and human rights organisations, many of whom have raised concerns over transparency and adherence to procedural justice in high-profile political trials.