KAMPALA
Opposition figure Col. (Rtd) Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale have once again been denied bail by the High Court in Kampala, following a ruling delivered Friday by Justice Emmanuel Baguma. The court maintained that the gravity of the charges facing the two men warranted continued detention.
Besigye and Lutale, who are facing accusations related to national security offenses, were arrested in Nairobi in November 2024 and later extradited to Uganda. Initially arraigned before the General Court Martial, their case was transferred to the civilian judiciary earlier this year, in accordance with a landmark Supreme Court ruling that prohibited the trial of civilians in military courts.
The bail application was grounded on the argument that both men had exceeded 180 days on pre-trial remand without being committed for trial—a threshold that typically triggers mandatory bail under Ugandan law. However, Justice Baguma dismissed the application, stating that the seriousness of the alleged offenses outweighed the procedural timeline.
In his affidavit, Besigye, a former presidential candidate and retired army colonel, emphasized his advanced age, clean legal record, and consistent compliance with previous bail conditions. His legal team argued that these factors made him a suitable candidate for release.
Despite these submissions, the court ruled otherwise. Both Besigye and Lutale will remain on remand at Luzira Prison as their treason case proceeds before the Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court.
The decision has sparked renewed debate over the treatment of political figures in Uganda’s justice system, with critics pointing to what they describe as a pattern of prolonged detention and judicial delays in politically sensitive cases.
Legal analysts say the ruling could set a precedent for how courts interpret the balance between national security concerns and individual rights under Uganda’s bail laws.
The next hearing in the case is expected later this month.
