Besigye and Lutale Remanded Again as Treason Case Stalls

Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obed Lutale will remain in Luzira Prison until May 21, 2025, after Nakawa Chief Magistrate Esther Nyadoi ordered an extension of their remand. The two, along with UPDF Captain Denis Oola, are facing serious charges of treason and misprision of treason as investigations continue.

Appearing in court on April 30, 2025, Besigye and Lutale's legal team, led by Erias Lukwago, strongly opposed their continued detention. Lukwago claimed that the two are being held in harsh conditions, including solitary confinement, without access to lawyers or family. He said the state is treating them like guilty convicts, even though no court has found them guilty yet.

The magistrate postponed the case to May 21 to await a decision on an appeal filed by Besigye’s lawyers. The appeal challenges an earlier court order allowing a police officer to give testimony in a closed-door hearing—a session not open to the media or public—about prosecutors' request to access the accused’s phones.

Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka expressed concern about the slow progress of the case. He blamed the delays on judicial reshuffles at the High Court, which have affected the scheduling of hearings.

Besigye and Lutale have already spent over 150 days in prison while fighting these charges.

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They recently filed a second bail request in the High Court, following the rejection of their first one by Justice Rosette Kania Comfort on April 11. The judge claimed they could interfere with the ongoing investigations, especially since treason is “the gravest offence under Ugandan law.”

The new bail application has not yet been scheduled for hearing.

Prosecutors accuse Besigye, Lutale, and Captain Oola of engaging in suspicious activities aimed at toppling the Ugandan government. These alleged actions reportedly happened in Switzerland (Geneva), Greece (Athens), Kenya (Nairobi), and Uganda (Kampala). The trio is said to have attended meetings, raised funds, and sought military equipment to support their plans.