Proceedings in the high-profile treason case involving four-time presidential candidate Kizza Besigye, his political aide Obeid Lutale and UPDF officer Denis Oola Ooya were thrown into uncertainty on Monday after the accused persons failed to arrive in court at the scheduled time.
Court proceedings were expected to commence at 11:00 a.m., but the session could not begin as the three accused had not been produced before court. The delay sparked concern among lawyers, supporters and court officials, especially after prison authorities reportedly failed to communicate the reasons behind the absence of the accused.
After several hours of waiting, Dr. Besigye, Lutale and Oola were eventually brought to court, allowing proceedings to resume.
The trio is facing treason-related charges arising from allegations that they participated in activities aimed at overthrowing the government between 2023 and 2024.
The case has attracted significant public interest due to Besigye’s stature as one of President Yoweri Museveni’s longest-serving political rivals and a former presidential contender in four elections.
The latest delay comes amid a series of procedural disputes that have characterized the case in recent months.
Last week, High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma ordered the prosecution to complete disclosure of all evidence to the defence and directed prison authorities to grant defence lawyers greater access to their clients as preparations for trial intensify. The court also set timelines aimed at resolving preliminary matters before the hearing of witnesses begins.
Earlier, the defence team accused prosecutors of failing to provide key evidence in time, arguing that the delayed disclosures had hampered their ability to adequately prepare for trial. Prosecutors later apologized for some of the delays and pledged compliance with court directives.
The prosecution has also agreed to reveal details of six key witnesses after previously seeking to withhold their identities, a move intended to speed up the hearing of the case. According to court records, Besigye, Lutale and Oola have spent more than 500 days on remand as the legal battle continues.
Besigye’s legal troubles date back to November 2024 when he and Lutale were arrested following events linked to a trip to Nairobi, Kenya. After the Supreme Court ruled that civilians should not be tried in military courts, the matter was transferred to the civilian judicial system, where the current treason proceedings are being heard.
As court resumed following Monday’s delay, attention remained focused on whether the prosecution and defence would finally clear the outstanding procedural hurdles and pave the way for the long-awaited substantive hearing of one of Uganda’s most closely watched political cases.
