KAMPALA – The High Court has adjourned the treason trial of opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale, for two weeks to enable them to select legal counsel following the prosecution’s completion of evidence disclosure.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Criminal Division Judge Emmanuel Baguma on Wednesday directed the two accused to choose advocates from a list of 786 lawyers accredited to provide legal aid under the scheme and adjourned the case to July 29, 2026.
The ruling came after the prosecution, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Thomas Jatiko and Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka, informed the court that it had complied with an earlier order to disclose all evidence intended to be relied upon at trial.
Besigye and Lutale acknowledged receiving the prosecution’s disclosed evidence, which includes witness statements, documentary exhibits, and electronic materials, and signed the disclosure documents in court.
The completion of disclosure marks an important procedural step in criminal proceedings, as it allows the defence to examine the prosecution’s case before witnesses are called to testify.
Justice Baguma earlier directed the High Court Registrar to provide the accused with a list of advocates accredited under the State Brief Scheme after Besigye and Lutale declined to proceed without lawyers, citing security threats against members of their private legal team.
However, Besigye told the court that the list of 786 advocates had only been delivered to him on Tuesday evening, leaving insufficient time to make an informed decision.
He argued that the list contained only basic information, including names, year of enrolment, areas of practice, and telephone contacts, but did not provide enough detail about their experience in handling complex criminal cases.
According to Besigye, the charges involve allegations spanning four countries and are expected to rely heavily on technical electronic evidence, making it important for the defence to assess the competence of any lawyer before making a choice.
He also reiterated that he and Lutale still prefer to be represented by their original legal team, led by Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, once concerns about the security of their lawyers are resolved.
Besigye further reminded the court about a pending application relating to those security concerns and sought an update on its status.
He also questioned the need for state-funded lawyers, arguing that both accused persons are financially capable of hiring advocates of their own choosing and that taxpayers should not bear the cost of their defence.
The court registrar had proposed three advocates under the State Brief Scheme to represent the accused. However, Besigye maintained that he required more information about their qualifications and experience before making a decision.
One of the proposed lawyers, Julius Serwambala, asked for two weeks to submit his curriculum vitae and record of criminal law practice to assist the accused in assessing his suitability.
Besigye supported the request, explaining that his incarceration at Luzira Prison limits his ability to consult prospective lawyers because of restrictions on communication and movement.
Although the prosecution opposed the two-week adjournment, Justice Baguma ruled that the request was reasonable, particularly after the prosecution had completed disclosure.
He also ordered Luzira Prison authorities to facilitate meetings between the accused and prospective lawyers and directed the three advocates proposed by the registrar to submit their curriculum vitae for onward transmission to the accused.
Regarding the pending application on the security of the defence lawyers, Justice Baguma clarified that the matter was not before him but instructed the court registrar to update the accused on the status of that case.
The judge further directed prison authorities not to interfere with the disclosure materials served on the accused after Besigye expressed concern that the documents could be confiscated while in custody.
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