KAMPALA, Uganda — A prosecution witness in the treason trial of opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye has told the High Court that meetings he secretly recorded with Besigye and his associates involved alleged plans to acquire weapons, conduct paramilitary training and launch attacks aimed at destabilising the Ugandan government.
Andrew Wilson Orlando, a foreign security consultant who is the State’s first witness, testified that he was approached by Besigye associate Joel Wakayima and later became involved in an undercover operation after reporting the contacts to Ugandan security officials.
The prosecution alleges that Wilson recorded a series of meetings in Geneva, Athens and elsewhere using covert recording equipment. The recordings are expected to be played in court as the State presents its evidence.
According to evidence previously disclosed by the prosecution, Wilson claims that Wakayima sought his assistance in obtaining firearms, grenades, drones and surface-to-air missiles, as well as arranging paramilitary training for Ugandans. The State alleges that the broader objective was to overthrow the government by force.
Wilson has also alleged that discussions included plans to attack military installations and assassinate President Yoweri Museveni using drones. Prosecutors say Besigye was allegedly expected to provide information about the President’s movements and vulnerabilities.
The witness further told court that Wakayima proposed detonating a grenade at Café Javas on Acacia Avenue in Kampala because government officials were believed to frequent the area.
The allegation adds another layer to a prosecution case that already includes claims of planned attacks on military facilities, recruitment and training of personnel in Kenya, and efforts to obtain weapons and other equipment.
The State alleges that 36 Ugandans were to be transported to Kisumu, Kenya, for training in intelligence and drone operations. According to the prosecution, the group was intercepted by Kenyan authorities before the training could begin and was subsequently deported to Uganda.
Wilson’s account has, however, become a major point of contention in the case.
Defence lawyers have questioned his credibility and the circumstances under which he became involved in the alleged conspiracy. Defence lawyer Eron Kiiza has publicly challenged Wilson’s statements, including what he describes as inconsistencies in the dates and chronology of the alleged meetings. The Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently sought court orders against Kiiza over his public comments concerning the witness.
There is also an apparent problem with one detail circulating in accounts of the evidence: references to a US$5,000 bill.
The United States currently issues Federal Reserve notes in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. The US government says $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 notes were discontinued, although historical notes of those denominations remain legal tender and may still exist.
That means there is no currently issued US$5,000 banknote. Historically, however, the United States did issue $5,000 notes, with production ending in 1945 and issuance discontinued in 1969.
The distinction matters because the prosecution’s evidence must ultimately be tested against the precise facts, not merely against the dramatic character of the allegations.
Wilson’s testimony is part of a wider prosecution case alleging that Besigye, Hajji Obeid Lutale and Captain Denis Oola participated in meetings in Uganda and abroad as part of a plan to overthrow the government. The State says it will rely on witness testimony, audio and video recordings, communications, immigration records and telephone data.
The High Court proceedings have already been disrupted by disputes over Besigye’s legal representation and his health.
On July 29, Besigye collapsed in the dock after protesting against the continuation of proceedings without his preferred lawyers. The court subsequently halted the hearing, and Justice Emmanuel Baguma ordered that his medical fitness to stand trial be assessed before the case could proceed.
The High Court is presided over by Justice Emmanuel Baguma.
The prosecution’s allegations have not been proved. Besigye and his co-accused deny the charges.
The trial is expected to continue with the prosecution seeking to introduce the alleged recordings and other evidence. The central question will then move beyond what Wilson says he heard and recorded: what exactly do the recordings contain, how were they obtained, and can the State establish that the alleged conversations amounted to a genuine conspiracy rather than an operation shaped by the undercover witness himself?
Those questions are likely to become increasingly important as the evidence is tested in court.
