Kampala — High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma has directed the State to appoint legal representation for opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused if they continue to decline alternative counsel in their ongoing treason case.
The ruling follows a prolonged standoff over legal representation after Dr. Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, insisted on being represented by their preferred legal team led by Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua and senior Ugandan advocate Erias Lukwago. The defence has argued that any attempt to force them to accept different lawyers would violate their constitutional right to a fair hearing.
Justice Baguma ruled that the criminal proceedings could not be delayed indefinitely over the dispute and ordered that, should the accused refuse available counsel, the State would provide lawyers to represent them during the trial.
The decision comes after the court dismissed an application by the accused seeking to halt the treason proceedings, clearing the way for the trial to proceed. Justice Baguma ruled that the case should commence as scheduled despite objections raised by the defence regarding legal representation.
Dr. Besigye and Lutale have maintained that they will only be represented by their chosen legal team, arguing that several of their lawyers have faced intimidation, while Martha Karua was recently denied entry into Uganda despite holding a Special Practising Certificate issued by the Uganda Law Council.
The prosecution has already disclosed more than 800 pages of witness statements and several hours of audio recordings that it intends to rely on during the trial. The accused face treason charges alongside UPDF Captain Denis Oola over allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, charges they have consistently denied.
The latest ruling marks another significant development in one of Uganda’s most closely watched criminal cases, with the court signalling its determination to proceed with the trial despite ongoing disputes over the composition of the defence team.
