Besigye Treason Trial Continues as State Witness Presents More Video and Audio Evidence

The treason trial of four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused continued on Tuesday, with state witness and spy Andrew Wilson presenting additional video and audio evidence.

Besigye continues to be tried in absentia due to his reported ill health, while his co-accused, Hajji Obeid Lutale and UPDF Captain Denis Oola, appeared before High Court trial judge Emmanuel Baguma.

Wilson continued his testimony on Tuesday by playing lengthy recordings of meetings that Besigye and Joel Wakayima allegedly held in Geneva, Switzerland. Unlike Monday’s presentation, when the audio and video clips were unclear and the individuals could not be easily identified, Tuesday’s video provided clearer images, including that of a white individual whom Wilson claimed was himself with Joel Wakayima and Besigye.

However, the audio from the clip was once again muffled, distorted, echoing and noisy. Although Besigye’s laughter, as he appeared farthest from the recording device, could occasionally be heard, the voice of the male figure next to the device could not be discerned.

Due to the poor audio quality of the video, Wilson had to make a great effort to explain to trial judge Baguma what was being discussed during the meeting. He insisted that the dialogue detailed a plot to overthrow the government of President Yoweri Museveni.

Even changing the courtroom and the playback equipment failed to improve the audio output. Questions were also raised regarding the video’s timestamp. Although Wilson told the court that he made the recording in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 28, 2024, the video played in court bore a timestamp of May 24, 2020.

Furthermore, Wilson claimed that Kenyan security personnel lost the secret recordings of his meeting with Besigye and Lutale in Nairobi. The meeting allegedly took place before their abduction from the hotel where they had gone to attend Martha Karua’s book launch.

Meanwhile, Lutale’s daughter, Mariam Lutale, has joined a four-member legal team to defend her father in the High Court.

Earlier in November last year, before Lutale and Besigye were committed to the High Court to stand trial, Mariam attracted public attention when she became overwhelmed with emotion over what she described as the prolonged detention of her father without trial, calling the court a theatre running on a script.

She will now represent her father alongside Obeid’s younger brother, Farouk Kizito Kamulegeya, Wilson Kato, and Sylas Ogul, all from Baraka Legal Associated Advocates.

Trial judge Emmanuel Baguma said the court had received a letter dated August 24 in which Lutale formally instructed the four lawyers to represent him.

Besigye and Lutale had initially…