Tensions ran high at the Kampala High Court Criminal Division yesterday as the court ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to fully disclose all evidence in the high-profile treason case against opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, including former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The courtroom, packed with supporters and media, witnessed sharp exchanges between defence lawyers and state prosecutors over what the defence described as delayed and incomplete disclosure.
“I have heard that the prosecution has done partial disclosure, which has become a challenge in proceeding with this matter. I direct the prosecution to handle full disclosure by March 3. The court will then resume on the 12th of the same month,” Justice Baguma announced.
The hearing, initially intended to finalise the trial timetable, quickly turned into a confrontation over whether the state had complied with previous court orders.
Led by Martha Karua, the defence accused the prosecution of ignoring timelines and attempting to proceed under unfair conditions. Karua warned that partial disclosure and her client’s health concerns made it impossible to continue.
“There is no way we can proceed with this matter when disclosure is incomplete,” Karua declared.
Lukwago also criticised the state for failing to meet deadlines, noting that the trial, initially scheduled to resume on January 21, 2026, could not proceed with insufficient evidence. He pointed out that transcripts provided without accompanying video recordings or electronic storage devices fell short of legal requirements.
“The transcription of evidence should be accompanied by video recordings. That is not the case at the moment,” he said.
Defence lawyer Eron Kiiza added that the DPP team, led by Thomas Jatiko, had failed to adequately prepare the case, urging them to complete disclosure before the hearing could proceed.
In response, Jatiko insisted that the prosecution already possesses all necessary evidence to support the trial.
With the March 3 deadline set for full disclosure, the court will reconvene on March 12, keeping Uganda and the legal community on edge over the progress of one of the country’s most closely watched cases.
