Former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, have been denied bail by the High Court.
In her ruling on Friday, Justice Rosette Comfort Kania cited the serious nature of the charges against them and the fact that investigations are still ongoing.
“Although all grounds for bail are met,the applications for bail are denied. The investigations are ongoing, and the applicants may still fall prey to the temptation of interfering with those investigations,” the judge ruled on Friday morning.
Besigye and his co-accused applied for bail, arguing that they are law-abiding citizens with fixed residences and were ready to comply with all court directives.
However, the prosecution objected, insisting that granting them bail could interfere with ongoing investigations.
Justice Kania reasoned with the prosecution, ruling that the circumstances did not favor their temporary release at this stage.
The duo remains in custody as they await further proceedings in their case. Their legal team has vowed to explore other legal avenues to secure their release.
Dr. Kizza Besigye and his aide Obeid Lutale were arrested on November 16, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, and forcibly returned to Uganda.
They have since been detained at Luzira Prison, making it nearly five months in custody as of April 11, 2025.
Dr. Kizza Besigye is facing treason charges, with authorities alleging that between 2023 and November 2024, he conspired to overthrow the Ugandan government through meetings held in Kenya.
He is also charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, with the state claiming that at the time of his arrest in Nairobi, he was found in possession of two pistols and eight rounds of ammunition.
His case was initially handled by a military court, but the Supreme Court ruled on January 31, 2025, that civilians cannot be tried in military courts, leading to the case’s transfer to the civilian judiciary.
