The High Court of Uganda has halted the scheduling of the treason trial against veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his co-accused after the prosecution failed to fully disclose its evidence to the defense.
During proceedings held in Kampala on Tuesday, trial judge Emmanuel Baguma ruled that the case could not proceed to conferencing a critical pre-trial stage, until the state complies with earlier court orders requiring full disclosure.
Defense lawyers led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Fredrick Mpanga told court that the prosecution had only supplied what they described as “Volume One” of the case file.
According to the defense team, several components of the state’s intended evidence remain outstanding. They reported receiving audio and video recordings that were neither transcribed nor fully accessible, alongside missing documentation necessary to prepare their case.
Counsel further argued that the prosecution failed to meet a January 21, 2026 deadline set by the court for complete disclosure, describing the omission as a serious procedural lapse.
Chief State Attorney Thomas Jatiko conceded that disclosure was incomplete, explaining that the state was still processing some of the material and converting it into usable formats, including transferring files onto flash disks for the defense.
The admission prompted the judge to suspend the scheduling process until the prosecution fulfills its obligations.
Dr. Besigye is jointly charged with: Hajj Obeid Lutale, his aide, Capt. Denis Oola, an officer of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces. All three accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the treason charges.
Justice Baguma directed the prosecution to complete full disclosure of all evidence by March 3, 2026. The matter is scheduled to return to court on March 12, 2026, for conferencing, subject to compliance.
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