Courts deliver blow after blow for Besigye, Lukwago

What the report says

Uganda’s courts had a busy week with rulings that touched politics, civil liberties and business disputes, according to The Observer. The most dramatic moment came in the High Court, where opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye collapsed during his treason trial after objecting to the way the case was being handled. Justice Emmanuel Baguma ordered the proceedings to continue despite Besigye’s concerns about legal representation, and the court later adjourned after he fell ill and was taken for treatment. The article says he was first moved to Luzira Prison and then transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Elsewhere, former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was again denied bail by the High Court. His lawyers had argued that age, health, residence and sureties supported release, while prosecutors said he could flee or interfere with witnesses. Justice David Matovu said those fears were not well supported, but still declined bail, noting that the case had not yet been assigned to a trial judge and that a future judge should decide the matter.

The same week also brought major commercial rulings. The Commercial Court awarded lawyer Silver Kayondo Shs 185 million after finding that a published version of his social media post had altered his words and damaged his reputation. In a separate banking dispute, the High Court Commercial Division refused to stop an independent audit in the Dei Industries case, saying there was no proof the process had been compromised and that the application had come too late.