Besigye’s Bail Denied Again,Treason Trial Accelerated

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1430 EAT on Tuesday 12 August 2025.

The High Court in Kampala has dismissed a bail application filed by veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale. The two are facing treason charges related to alleged activities aimed at overthrowing the government.

Justice Emmanuel Baguma has ruled against granting bail to opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, declaring their application premature. The judge noted that the mandatory 180-day remand period—required before such an application can be considered—had not yet been completed.

He clarified that the remand period officially commenced on February 21, 2025, when the two were formally charged before the civilian court. Their earlier detention by the military court in November 2024 does not count toward the statutory period.

“Having found that the applicants have not clocked the mandatory period, which is the bedrock of this application, I don’t find it prudent to delve into other concerns like the substantiality of sureties and the ability of the applicants to return for trial,” Justice Baguma ruled.

The High Court in Kampala has rejected a bail application by veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, citing failure to meet the mandatory 180-day remand period required before bail can be considered in capital cases.

The defense had argued that time spent in military custody since November 2024 should count toward the 180-day threshold. However, Justice Emmanuel Baguma sided with the prosecution, ruling that the court could not recognize claims of prior detention without formal documentary evidence of court-martial proceedings.

“The court must be guided by evidence properly adduced before it, not public narratives,” Justice Baguma said.

He also noted that the bail application was filed just one day before the applicants were officially committed to the High Court for trial, rendering the mandatory bail provision inapplicable.

While dismissing the application, the judge ordered the case to be given “immediate priority for hearing,” citing the applicants’ constitutional right to liberty and a speedy trial.

Dr. Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate and prominent critic of President Yoweri Museveni’s government, remains on remand at Luzira prison. This marks the third time his bail application has been denied, following earlier rejections in April and May 2025.

Besigye, Lutale, and a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer, Captain Denis Oola, face treason charges. Prosecutors allege that the trio solicited firearms and financial support in cities including Geneva, Athens, and Nairobi, with the intent to overthrow the Ugandan government.

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