Uganda quietly drops treason case against opposition leader

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Uganda has quietly dropped a treason case launched against opposition leader Kizza Besigye for declaring himself the winner of presidential elections in 2016, local reports said Monday.

Following the disputed elections, Besigye, who came in second after Yoweri Museveni, openly declared that he had won the elections and was therefore the rightful president of Uganda.

“We arrested Kizza Besigye after he declared himself president in 2016. He was charged with treason, and it is only today that I learnt that the state had withdrawn the case,” criminal investigations officer Bernard Otto told Anadolu Agency.

He said he learned about it from a local newspaper in Uganda, the Daily Monitor, which reported Monday that the case against the former four-time Ugandan presidential candidate had been withdrawn.

A court clerk, Annet Atalyaka, confirmed that the case was dropped but did not provide details.

The Daily Monitor said the withdrawal happened in December 2019 during Justice Mike Chibita’s tenure as director of public prosecutions (DPP), though it is not clear if Besigye was informed of the development.

“This is to inform the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided to discontinue proceedings against Kizza Besigye, charged with treason,” the withdrawal form signed off by then DPP Chibita reads in part.

‘’The form was filed before the Nakawa Court’s registry, but it was not followed with the formal withdrawal process that involves the court convening with the accused person/s present,” the Daily Monitor said.

One of the lawyers who represented Besigye in the case, Ernest Kalibaala, said he was not aware of the development. He said the withdrawal could have been done secretly.

“All along, I thought that that case was still pending in the court. I am now happy on learning that it was withdrawn some time back,” said Bruhan Lusinga, one of Besigye’s supporters.

Besigye’s party coordinator in Bugiri district in eastern Uganda, Ashraf Baliruno, said: “It is absurd that the case was secretly withdrawn and it was not made public.’’

Attempts to reach Besigye by phone were unsuccessful.