KAMPALA — The High Court has denied bail to former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, ruling that his application failed to meet the legal threshold because it lacked a medical assessment from the Uganda Prisons Service confirming that his condition could not be adequately managed while in custody.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice David Matovu held that although Lukwago had presented medical reports from specialists at Mulago National Referral Hospital and satisfied several of the constitutional requirements for bail, the absence of a prison medical report was a critical omission.
The judge said the court required certification from a medical officer at Luzira Prison stating that Lukwago’s health condition could not be effectively treated within the prison healthcare system before it could rely on his medical condition as a basis for granting bail.
Lukwago is on remand facing a charge of misprision of treason, arising from the same case involving veteran opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye. Prosecutors allege that between 2021 and 2024, he concealed information relating to an alleged plot to overthrow the government. He has denied the charge.
During the bail hearing, Lukwago’s legal team, led by Medard Lubega Ssegona and Samuel Muyizi Mulindwa, argued that their client had met all the constitutional requirements for release.
The defence presented medical records from Mulago National Referral Hospital indicating that Lukwago required further specialized treatment, including assessment for spinal complications, in addition to ongoing management of hypertension and other health conditions. His lawyers also told the court that medical specialists had recommended further treatment, potentially outside the country.
They further argued that Lukwago had produced substantial sureties and posed no flight risk.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, raising concerns that releasing the former Kampala Lord Mayor could interfere with witnesses and compromise the ongoing case. State prosecutors also questioned whether the medical evidence presented was sufficient to justify bail in the absence of an assessment from prison medical authorities.
In his ruling, Justice Matovu acknowledged that Lukwago had fulfilled several of the legal requirements for bail but concluded that the medical evidence did not meet the standard required by the court.
The judge also directed the Deputy Registrar of the High Court to expedite the committal process and assign the case to a trial judge so that proceedings can begin without unnecessary delay.
The decision follows an earlier ruling by the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court, which similarly declined to release Lukwago on bail but allowed him access to specialized treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital whenever necessary.
Lukwago, a senior advocate and president of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), remains on remand at Luzira Prison pending trial.
The ruling comes amid heightened public attention on the health of opposition figures in detention, following the collapse of Dr. Kizza Besigye during court proceedings on Wednesday and his subsequent hospitalization.
By press time, Lukwago’s lawyers had not indicated whether they would appeal the High Court’s decision.
