Besigye, Lutale Reject State-Appointed Lawyers

What the report says

Nile Post reports that Uganda opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye and co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale have refused to be represented by lawyers appointed by the High Court at state expense, creating another delay in their treason trial before the Criminal Division of the High Court. The appointed advocates — Julius Sserwambala, Sarah Awero and Sylvia Namawejje — told court that only UPDF Captain Denis Oola had accepted their involvement.

According to the report, Oola later clarified that he would only work with the court-appointed lawyers if they served alongside his privately retained legal team, which has been handling his case. Besigye objected to the appointments, saying the lawyers had not shown sufficient experience for a matter as serious and complex as treason. He also asked the court to wait for a pending ruling in a separate challenge before Justice Dr Douglas Singiza Kinobe on whether such appointments are lawful. Nile Post says that ruling is expected later in August.

The dispute follows an earlier order by Justice Emmanuel Baguma directing the Criminal Division Registrar to provide Besigye and Lutale with a list of advocates after prosecutors complained that repeated appearances without defence lawyers had stalled the start of trial. The court had indicated that if the accused did not select lawyers from the list, counsel would be appointed for them under Article 28(3)(d) of the Constitution.

The case is politically significant because Besigye is a long-standing opposition leader. Nile Post reports that Besigye, Lutale and Captain Oola are accused of conspiring with others between 2023 and November 2024 to overthrow Uganda’s government by force. They deny the treason charges.