Opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, will stay in detention until April 11, 2025, after the High Court deferred their bail application due to prosecution delays.
Justice Kania Rossette, presiding over the case, adjourned the proceedings on Friday, citing the prosecution’s failure to present its case. As a result, Besigye and Lutale will remain at Luzira Prison, where they have been held since their arrest in November 2
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who is also part of Besigye’s legal team, criticized the adjournment, describing it as a deliberate attempt to prolong Besigye’s detention.
“It is deeply concerning that Dr. Besigye is being returned to Luzira despite his deteriorating health. He has been incarcerated since November 16, 2024, and we had expected his release today,” Lukwago said.
He further alleged that the state was employing legal maneuvers to keep Besigye behind bars.
“The government is deliberately delaying justice, but we remain committed to fighting for his freedom. We had hoped to walk out of court with him today, but that hope has been shattered,” he added.
Besigye and Lutale were apprehended in November 2024 at a residence in Nairobi and later extradited to Uganda. Initially, they were arraigned before the military court on charges of possessing ammunition and attempting to secure logistical support in a manner that allegedly threatened national security.
However, a ruling by the Supreme Court on January 31, 2025, determined that civilians should not be tried in military courts. Consequently, Besigye’s case was reassigned to the High Court, where he has since been appearing.
Following the latest delay, his legal team and supporters now await the next court session on April 11, 2025, hoping for a decisive ruling on his bail application.
