The Director of Public Prosecutions has formally indicted Col (Rtd) Dr. Kizza Besigye Kifefe, a former presidential candidate and retired UPDF officer, on charges of treason and misprision of treason.
Political heavyweight Besigye and his co-accused Samuel Lutale have been sent back to Luzira Prison, after a Nakawa magistrate refused to grant them mandatory bail, despite spending over 180 days behind bars.
The State, led by Richard Birivumbuka, claimed the 180 days should be counted only from when the new civilian charges were filed in February. Their case has been committed to the High Court.
According to the indictment filed at the High Court in Nakawa, Besigye, along with Hajji Obeid Lutaale, RO/12743 Captain Denis Oola, and others still at large, is accused of plotting to overthrow the Government of Uganda by force of arms between 2023 and November 2024. The alleged plan involved international meetings and covert training arrangements in countries including Switzerland, Greece, Kenya, and Uganda.
The indictment states that on October 29, 2023, Dr. Besigye allegedly attended a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, where discussions centered on a plan to topple the Ugandan government. Prosecutors claim that in July 2024, a group of 36 Ugandans was assembled in Kisumu, Kenya, for paramilitary training facilitated by a co-conspirator identified only as AW. However, Kenyan authorities arrested and deported the group before training commenced.
Additional meetings allegedly took place in Athens, Greece, on September 29, 2024, and again in Geneva in June 2024. During these meetings, Besigye and co-conspirators reportedly discussed armed attacks on Ugandan military facilities, including the Nakasongola Airbase. Prosecutors allege that Besigye requested surface-to-air missiles and drones and even offered to provide the President’s movement schedule.
Court says the plan included facilitating illicit activities such as money laundering, arms trafficking, and the use of Ugandan airfields for criminal purposes in exchange for foreign support.
The State has indicated it will present recordings, intercepted communications, and witness testimony during the trial.
In a separate count of the indictment, the Director of Public Prosecutions has charged Hajji Obeid Lutaale and Captain Denis Oola with misprision of treason, a crime defined under Section 25 of Uganda’s Penal Code.
According to the charges, the two are accused of knowing about the treasonous intentions of Dr. Kizza Besigye and failing to report or prevent the plot. The alleged failure took place between 2023 and November 2024 in both Nairobi, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda.
Prosecutors argue that Lutaale and Capt. Oola acted with common intention and did not make any efforts to alert authorities, thereby abetting the attempt to overthrow the government.
The DPP asserts that no valid defenses exist to the charges, and all accused persons acted in concert with a common criminal goal.
