Frail Looking Besigye Appears Before Buganda Road Court

Prison Authorities have produced jailed opposition Leader and four -time  presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye before the Buganda Road Court amidst tight security.  

On Monday this week, grade one magistrate Winnie Nankya issued a production warrant ordering prison authorities to produce Dr. Besigye today to ascertain the reason why he had written to court informing her that he was indisposed and unable to attend court.

Besigye faces charges linked to a 2022 protest over high commodity prices.

Usually whenever Besigye arrives in court, he raises up his two fingers to greet his supporters when he reaches court. But despite the hundreds of his supporters in court, Besigye didn’t wave or say anything to them.

He is guarded by 10 prison security officers while he is in the dock.

Besigye’s eyes also appear teary and yellowish. He also appears to be shaking like a person who is either hungry or with fever or both.

His lawyers led by Elias Lukwago and Ernest Kalibala have made an application  seeking orders that  Dr. Besigye be immediately released because of several acts and omissions of the state that  violate his fundamental Human rights.  

Listed below is a series of Besigye’s alleged violated rights as read to court by Lukwago. 

4. Continued detention  in Luzira prison without a valid remand warrant from any court since the one from the General Court martial expired 2 weeks ago and  he was granted bail in 2022 by the Buganda Road court. 
5. The state has not informed Dr. Besigye  of any pending charges against him as those that had been previously sanctioned by the defunct court martial have since been halted by the Supreme court last month. 
6. Lukwago  adds that  the failure to allow Besigye access to his personal doctors yet he is sick is another violation  and the denial of kinship by not allowing him express his love to his dear wife Winne Byanyima ( today being Valentines Day).
7. The lawyers further fear that Besigye’s right to life in prison  is threatened by the remarks of the CDF Muhoozi Kainerugaba who has since said  Besigye will only leave prison on Heroes’ day to be  hanged .

The lawyers are asking Magistrate Nankya not to remand Besigye back to Luzira prison which has since turned into what they claim  to be  “a  safe House ” being  that this is the first court he is appearing in since January7th. 

They have asked the magistrate to temporarily stay the trial in which prosecution had prepared to present its last witness and first hear and dispose- of this human rights Enforcement application and  make appropriate orders including sanctioning  the commissioner General of prisons and the DPP for these violations.

However prosecution’s Allan Mucunguzi admits that Besigye was granted bail and there are no human rights violations arising out of this case to warrant a stay of proceedings . 

Mucungunzi further added that Besigye is legally held in prison because the Supreme Court judgement did not order for the release of individuals who had pending charges before the general Court Martial.