The President of the Uganda Law Society (ULS), Isaac Ssemakadde, has sharply criticized the handling of the treason case involving opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, describing the proceedings as a “spectacle” and accusing the prosecution of incompetence and procedural breaches.
Ssemakadde made the remarks following today’s pre-trial session at the High Court Criminal Division in Kampala, where Besigye, together with his co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale and UPDF officer Capt. Denis Oola, appeared before Justice Emmanuel Baguma in a case involving treason and misprision of treason allegations.
The hearing, which had been scheduled to include key pre-trial directions and the selection of assessors under the Trial on Indictments Act, was instead marked by procedural tension after issues emerged around service of court documents.
The development comes after the prosecution reportedly withdrew an application seeking to conceal the identities of six witnesses, citing delays to the commencement of the main trial.
In his strongly worded remarks, Ssemakadde questioned the State’s preparedness in pursuing a charge of such gravity, arguing that the process undermines the integrity of the justice system.
“This spectacle in court today is yet another glaring example of the prosecution’s incompetence, or worse, its deliberate mala fides,” Ssemakadde said.
“You cannot haul Dr. Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential contender and veteran opposition figure, along with Obeid Lutale and Capt. Denis Oola before the court on grave charges like treason, only to show up empty-handed, without service of case documents. That’s not justice; that’s judicial harassment dressed in a robe.”
He further noted that the court’s directive requiring immediate service within the courtroom reflected the seriousness of the procedural lapse, but warned that such orders should not become routine substitutes for proper prosecution conduct.
“The judge’s reprimand is a small but necessary slap on the wrist. Ordering service to be done immediately within the courtroom is an extraordinary measure because the situation demands it,” he added.
Ssemakadde insisted that the defence team would resist any attempt to fast-track or sidestep due process, stressing that the accused are entitled to full disclosure and a fair hearing under the law.
“Let this be a warning: the defence will not be railroaded. We demand full disclosure, fair hearing, and respect for due process. Anything less is an insult to the rule of law and the people of Uganda,” he said.