Veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye has once again been sent back to Luzira Prison after the High Court remanded him, together with his co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale, until October 8, 2025. The ruling will determine the fate of concerns raised by Besigye during today’s court appearance.
Besigye, who faces charges of treason and misprision of treason, appeared before Justice Emmanuel Baguma alongside Lutale and UPDF soldier Denis Oola. The case arises from allegations that the trio engaged in activities deemed hostile to the state, though their lawyers have consistently dismissed the charges as politically motivated.
In court, Besigye attempted to personally raise an issue regarding the proceedings, but Justice Baguma directed him to channel all concerns through his legal team. The judge further ordered him to put the concerns in writing by October 3, promising to deliver a ruling on October 8.
The directive raised protest from Besigye’s lawyers, who argued that no law prevents an accused person from speaking directly in court.
“The right to be heard cannot be limited to only submissions by counsel. An accused person also has a right to address the court on matters affecting their liberty,” one of his lawyers insisted.
Despite the objections, Justice Baguma stood by his position remanding Besigye and Lutale to Luzira once again, extending a pattern of repeated court appearances without a final resolution.
This latest remand shows the long-running legal battles of Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and one of President Yoweri Museveni’s fiercest critics, whose political career has been full of arrests, house arrests and charges of unlawful assembly to treason.
