The High Court in Kampala has refused to grant bail to opposition leader Col (Rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, citing the seriousness of the charges they face.
Delivering his ruling on Friday, Justice Emmanuel Baguma rejected the pair’s application for mandatory bail, despite claims that they had spent more than 180 days on remand without being committed to trial.
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“The seriousness of the charges of treason and misprision of treason cannot be taken lightly,” Justice Baguma said. “This court is not persuaded that the applicants ought to be released at this stage, when investigations are still ongoing and the case poses a potential threat to national security.”
Besigye and Lutale were arrested in Nairobi in November 2024 before being charged in Uganda with offences linked to national security. Their case was initially heard before the General Court Martial but was later transferred to civilian courts, following a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that barred the trial of civilians in military courts.
In sworn affidavits, Besigye — a former presidential candidate and retired army officer — argued that his age, clean record, and previous compliance with bail terms made him eligible for release. The court, however, disagreed.
“While the applicants enjoy the constitutional presumption of innocence, the law also gives the court discretion to deny bail where the interests of justice, public safety, and the gravity of the offence so demand,” Justice Baguma said.
The two men will remain in custody at Luzira Prison as the treason case proceeds before the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court.
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