Former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obedi Kamulegeya, have declined to take a plea on the treason charges against them.
Dr. Besigye and Hajj Kamulegeya are facing multiple charges, including possession of firearms at Riverside Apartments in Nairobi, Kenya, as well as allegedly holding meetings in Greece and Switzerland with the intent to undermine the security of the Ugandan army.
The two were reportedly abducted last month while in Nairobi, Kenya, where they had attended a book launch hosted by Kenyan opposition politician and lawyer Martha Karua. Karua is currently in Uganda, leading a team of 50 lawyers defending Dr. Besigye and Hajj Kamulegeya.
On Monday, during their appearance before Brigadier General Freeman Mugabe, the prosecution, led by Colonel Raphael Mugisha, sought to amend the charge sheet to introduce new charges, naming Captain Denis Ola, a serving officer attached to the Armoured Brigade, as a suspect.
When Dr. Besigye and his co-accused appeared before Brigadier General Robert Freeman Mugabe, Chairman of the General Court Martial, they declined to enter pleas on the charges of treason. Besigye also requested that his case be referred to the Constitutional Court, arguing that the matters involved are already part of a pending appeal before the Supreme Court.
During the trial, Dr. Besigye sought clarification on why he is being tried in a military court and questioned the court’s jurisdiction over cross-border offenses. Despite these concerns, the court, chaired by Brigadier General Freeman Mugabe, ruled that Dr. Besigye and Hajj Kamulegeya must enter pleas on the treason charges.
The court ultimately recorded a plea of not guilty, noting that proceedings will continue despite objections from Besigye’s lawyers, who argue that the move is unconstitutional.
