BESIGYE RELEASE TALKS GAIN MOMENTUM AS TREASON TRIAL RESUMES

Jailed Dr. Kizza Besigye and his aide Lutale behind bars (PHOTO/Courtesy).

PMLDaily

Fresh efforts to secure the release of jailed opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye are unfolding as his treason trial resumes before the High Court in Kampala today.

The reported negotiations, involving senior government and opposition figures, have added a new layer to Besigye’s long-running legal battle, even as prosecutors push ahead with evidence against him and his co-accused.

Gen Caleb Akandwanaho, commonly known as Salim Saleh, is reportedly leading the efforts to find a political resolution to Besigye’s detention.

The talks reportedly bring together figures from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), opposition groups including the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), religious leaders and other prominent Ugandans.

FDC deputy spokesperson Walid Mulindwa has confirmed that discussions are ongoing, including consultations through the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).

However, there is no official confirmation that a deal has been reached to release Besigye or terminate the charges against him.

The reported negotiations come after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said in August that Besigye’s matter would be handled by Gen Saleh, who he said had been given authority by President Yoweri Museveni to deal with the issue.

An earlier attempt to bring Besigye and former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago together with Gen Saleh reportedly failed after the two opposition figures were unable to travel because of ill health.

While the political discussions continue, the High Court case remains active.

Court presses ahead

Justice Emmanuel Baguma is expected to hear further evidence today after warning prosecutors against unnecessary delays.

On September 23, the judge issued what he described as a final adjournment after State prosecutors failed to appear at the agreed time.

Justice Baguma expressed frustration with the repeated delays and warned that the trial would not continue to be adjourned without good reason.

The prosecution is now expected to continue with its second witness, Dr Medadi Erisa Ssentanda, a senior lecturer in African Languages at Makerere University.

Ssentanda’s evidence concerns the transcription of audio and video recordings that the prosecution intends to use against Besigye, Obeid Lutale and UPDF Captain Denis Oola.

He told court that Makerere University received Shs59.32 million to transcribe recordings contained on a flash disk supplied by the Criminal Investigations Directorate.

The recordings allegedly relate to meetings in Geneva, Athens and Nairobi and have a combined duration of more than 25 hours.

But the defence has strongly challenged the evidence, arguing that the original flash disk from which the recordings were transcribed has not been produced in court.

The lawyers have questioned the chain of custody and whether the device delivered to Makerere is the same one whose contents were transcribed and are now being relied upon by the prosecution.

Wilson evidence under scrutiny

Ssentanda’s testimony follows several weeks of evidence from the prosecution’s first witness, British-American security investigator Andrew Wilson.

Wilson told court that he had worked for the Ugandan Government while secretly recording meetings involving Besigye and his associates.

His evidence included details of the November 16, 2024 operation in Nairobi that preceded Besigye’s arrest.

Wilson told court that the Riverside apartment where Besigye and Lutale were arrested had been arranged beforehand and that two pistols were already inside before the opposition figures arrived.

Under cross-examination, he agreed with the defence that the firearms and what was described as fake money had been planted as part of an intelligence operation.

He described the Nairobi operation as a “sting”, saying he believed the meeting and subsequent arrests had been deliberately stage-managed.

His testimony was also challenged over the handling of evidence, covert recording devices, his qualifications and his knowledge of some of the people later charged alongside Besigye.

Besigye himself is not expected to physically participate in today’s proceedings, having remained absent from court since he collapsed during proceedings on July 29.

The collapse came as he protested against lawyers assigned to represent him.

The court subsequently allowed the trial to proceed in his absence.

His continued absence now coincides with the reported political negotiations over his possible release, creating uncertainty over how the case could proceed should the talks result in a political agreement.

For now, however, the prosecution continues to present its case.

Besigye, Lutale and Capt Oola face treason-related charges arising from allegations that they participated in meetings in Uganda, Kenya, Greece and Switzerland as part of a plan to overthrow the Government.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis