DPP Wants Besigye Lawyer Eron Kiiza Jailed Over Witness Posts

What the report says

Uganda’s Director of Public Prosecutions has asked the High Court in Kampala to punish lawyer Eron Kiiza for alleged criminal contempt, saying his social media posts about a prosecution witness in the treason case against Dr Kizza Besigye and two others may have breached the sub judice rule. The application, reported by Nile Post, targets posts on Kiiza’s verified X account that questioned the credibility of a witness identified as Andrew Wilson Orlando and, in one instance, reportedly described the witness as a liar.

According to the material cited in the court filing, the prosecution says the posts were made in July and were timed around key stages of the case. The DPP argues they could influence public opinion, pressure witnesses and interfere with the administration of justice. The application also asks the court to bar Kiiza from making further public comments on the merits of the case, to order deletion of the posts, and to require a court-approved apology and retraction.

The filing further says Kiiza contacted state-appointed defence lawyers in the matter, urging them to stop representing the accused. The prosecution says that conduct was intended to interfere with the trial. Kiiza, who represents Besigye and his co-accused, told Nile Post that he was out of the country. The High Court has not yet ruled on the application.

The report also notes that Kiiza previously faced a separate contempt case before the military General Court Martial, where he was jailed in January 2025 in proceedings that drew criticism from legal and rights groups. That earlier matter is distinct from the current High Court application.