A violent brawl broke out this morning at Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court between supporters of Dr. Kizza Besigye and security personnel.
The clash began when Ingrid Turinawe, a mobilizer for the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), was assaulted by a plainclothes police officer who accused her of secretly filming him.
In the ensuing chaos, the officer seized Turinawe’s phone, prompting Besigye’s supporters to intervene. They attacked the officer, leading to a larger melee as other security personnel joined in. One individual, Paul Kisuule, was injured during the altercation.
At the time of the violence, Dr. Besigye and his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale, had not yet been brought into the packed courtroom.
Once calm was restored, Erias Lukwago, one of Besigye’s lawyers, argued that the defense could not proceed without lead counsel Martha Karua, who was reportedly delayed in Kenya. The prosecution objected, noting that Karua had not informed the court of her Nairobi residence and insisted the case could continue.
The court ruled that the existing legal team was sufficient to represent the accused and ordered the proceedings to move forward.
When the session resumed, Lukwago argued that Besigye and Lutale were entitled to mandatory bail, as their pre-trial remand had exceeded six months. However, the prosecution countered that the remand period should be calculated from February 21, 2025, when the case was transferred to the civilian court. The court agreed with the prosecution, finding no grounds to grant bail or refer the case to the High Court under the Human Rights Enforcement Act.
Following the ruling, the defence team formally withdrew from the case. Besigye and Lutale were remanded to Luzira Prison.
Besigye and Lutale were arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, and extradited to Uganda.
They were initially arraigned before the General Court Martial on charges of unlawful possession of firearms, ammunition, and alleged treachery committed in Kenya, Greece, and Switzerland.
On January 31, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that military courts lacked jurisdiction to try civilians, ordering the case transferred to a civilian court.
