Lawyers representing veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, have petitioned the High Court demanding immediate, unrestricted prison access and specialized facilities to prepare their defence ahead of their treason trial slated for next week.
In a June 5 letter addressed to the Deputy Registrar of the High Court Criminal Division, the defence team revealed that directives previously issued by trial judge Justice Emmanuel Baguma to facilitate lawyer-client consultations have not yet been implemented. This, they argue, severely jeopardizes their ability to prepare for the high-stakes hearing scheduled to commence on June 11, 2026.
The letter, signed by Lukwago and Co. Advocates, notes that during court proceedings on June 1, Justice Baguma directed the court registry to formally write to Luzira Government Prison. The directive aimed to grant the legal team access to their clients on weekends and public holidays, alongside ensuring prison authorities provided the necessary consultation facilities.
However, the defence maintains they have been left in the dark.
“To date, we have not received any notification that such a letter has been written to or that permission was granted by the prison authorities,” the lawyers stated.
The gravity of the situation was laid bare on June 4, when defence lawyer Bayern Turinawe was allegedly blocked from entering Luzira Prison with a laptop and flash drives during a scheduled visit.
“This experience confirms that either the letter has not been written or that permission has not been granted, yet the trial Judge fixed the case for hearing on 11th June 2026,” the defence team added, emphasizing the looming deadline.
To ensure a fair trial and preserve advocate-client privilege, Besigye’s legal team is demanding a secure, private interview room free from the presence of state intelligence officers. The room must be large enough to accommodate between 15 and 20 lawyers and legal assistants.
Furthermore, the lawyers are seeking: unrestricted entry to Luzira Prison from 8am to 6pm; clearance to bring in electronic equipment, including laptops, mobile phones, flash drives, headphones, mini speakers, a projector, and a whiteboard; access to a stable and secure internet connection within the facility; inclusion of an independent information technology expert and a forensic examiner chosen by the defence and permission to bring in bulky case files, legal texts, notebooks, and packed food for the legal team during marathon consultation sessions.
“We believe that the above request is reasonable considering the gravity and peculiarities of the case,” the letter reads, hinting that more requests could follow.
This legal skirmish comes just days after the High Court dealt a blow to the accused. Justice Baguma recently dismissed an application by Besigye and Lutale seeking a referral to the Constitutional Court to interpret whether they were being denied adequate time and facilities to prepare. The judge ruled that no substantial constitutional question had been raised and maintained the June 11 trial date.
Dr Besigye, Hajj Lutale, and UPDF officer Denis Oola face treason charges over allegations that they coordinated meetings within Uganda and abroad between 2023 and 2024 with the intent to overthrow the government. The accused vehemently deny the charges, labeling them politically motivated.