KAMPALA. The long-awaited trial of opposition veteran Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale in the high-stake treason case is kicking off today at the High Court’s Criminal Division in Kampala .
However , their lawyers have already written to the High Court seeking extensive access to Luzira Maximum Security Prison, arguing that the complexity and gravity of the treason case require enhanced facilities to enable adequate trial preparation.
In a June 5 letter addressed to the Deputy Registrar of the High Court’s Criminal Division, the defence team said Justice Emmanuel Baguma had directed the court registry to liaise with prison authorities to facilitate effective consultations between the accused persons and their lawyers ahead of the trial scheduled to begin this month.
The lawyers, led by Erias Lukwago, said they had not received any confirmation that the court’s directives had been implemented.
“When we appeared before the Trial Judge Mr. Justice Emmanuel Baguma on 1st June 2026, he directed that your office writes to Luzira Government Prison to enable Counsel for A1 and A2 to access the prison on weekends and public holidays,” the lawyers wrote.
They added that one of the defence lawyers, Bayern Turinawe, had attempted to access the prison on June 4 carrying flash drives and a laptop but was reportedly denied entry with the devices.
“This experience confirms that either the letter has not been written or that permission has not been granted yet the Trial Judge fixed the case for hearing on 11th June 2026,” the letter states.
The defence team is seeking a dedicated interview room free from the presence of state officials and large enough to accommodate between 15 and 20 lawyers and support staff.
According to the lawyers, such a facility is necessary to preserve advocate-client privilege and ensure confidentiality while reviewing the vast amount of evidence disclosed by the prosecution.
The team has also requested unrestricted access to the prison between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to allow adequate consultation time with the accused persons.
In addition, the lawyers want permission to bring into the prison laptops, mobile phones, projectors, headphones, mini speakers and other electronic equipment to review evidence with their clients.
The defence further requested access to stable internet services within the consultation area, permission for forensic and information technology experts of the accused persons’ choosing to participate in preparations, and authority to bring case files, flash drives, statute books and other legal materials into the facility.
The lawyers also asked prison authorities to allow food and refreshments for legal teams and experts attending consultation sessions.
Race Against Time
The requests come amid growing disputes between the prosecution and defence over trial preparation timelines. The full trial is expected to start this Monday morning in Kampala.
On Monday, prosecutors served Besigye’s legal team with more than 800 pages of witness statements and approximately seven hours of audio recordings, which the state intends to rely on during the trial.
The defence has argued that the material cannot reasonably be reviewed within the period allowed by the court, especially in a capital case carrying severe penalties upon conviction.
Justice Baguma nevertheless directed the matter to proceed, prompting the defence to consider further legal challenges.
Treason Charges
Dr. Besigye and Lutale are jointly charged with treason and misprision of treason.
The prosecution alleges that between 2003 and November 2024, the two men and others still at large participated in a plot to overthrow the Government of Uganda by force of arms through activities allegedly conducted in Geneva, Athens, Nairobi and Kampala.
In the alternative charge, prosecutors allege that the accused knew of plans by others to commit treason but failed to report the information to authorities or take steps to prevent it.
Both Besigye and Lutale have denied all the allegations.