Hours after the High Court declined to grant bail to veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye,Yoweri Museveni government on Tuesday moved swiftly to tighten its case against him, filing an amended indictment that levels fresh and detailed treason-related charges against the four-time presidential contender and his co-accused.
The amended indictment, filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on December 30, 2025, accuses Dr Besigye, his aide Hajji Obeid Lutale, and army officer Capt.Denis Oola Denish Oyaa of plotting to overthrow the Government of Uganda by force of arms through a series of meetings, financial transactions and online communications allegedly conducted across several countries.
The development came barely a day after Uganda High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma dismissed an application seeking bail and a stay of proceedings, directing the accused to first take plea on the charges they facebefore being released on bail terms. insiderbits.co.ke/…/besigye-must-take-plea-before-bail-high-court-rules-in-treason-trial
According to court records, the amended indictment charged seen by our reporter was received at the High Court Criminal Registry in Kampala on Tuesday mid-day, ahead of the trio’s scheduled appearance before the Criminal Division.
In Count One, the State charges Dr Besigye, Hajji Lutale, Capt. Oola and others still at large with treason, contrary to Section 23(1)(c) of the Penal Code Act.
The prosecution alleges that between 2023 and November 2024, the accused “contrived a plot, act or matter by force of arms to overturn the Government of Uganda as by law established” and expressed that plot through utterances and overt acts carried out in Switzerland, Greece, Kenya and Uganda.
The indictment lists several overt acts allegedly committed by Dr Besigye, including:Travelling to Geneva, Switzerland, and attending meetings on October 29, 2023, January 24, 2024, and June 14, 2024, where discussions allegedly centred on overthrowing the Ugandan government by force.
Attending a meeting in Athens, Greece, on September 29, 2024, with similar objectives.
Travelling to Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16, 2024, alongside Hajji Lutale, where further discussions allegedly took place.
The prosecution further alleges that between June 14 and July 24, 2024, Dr Besigye solicited and received USD 5,000, which was allegedly used to facilitate the travel of 36 individuals from Uganda to Kisumu, Kenya, where they were to receive training in furtherance of the alleged plot.
The State also claims that between October 2023 and November 2024, Dr Besigye, Capt. Oola and others used WhatsApp to exchange messages in which they discussed and expressed intentions to overthrow the government by force of arms.
In Count Two, the indictment charges Dr Besigye and others still at large with misprision of treason, contrary to Section 25 of the Penal Code Act.
The prosecution alleges that the accused knew that Joel Wakhaima and Frank Kihehere Atukunda intended to commit treason but failed to report the information to authorities or take reasonable steps to prevent the alleged offence.
Count Three separately charges Hajji Lutale and Capt. Oola with misprision of treason, alleging that they knew of Dr Besigye’s alleged intention to commit treason but failed to disclose the information to relevant authorities.
The amended indictment was signed by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Thomas Jatiko and dated December 29, 2025.
Scenes at the High Court on Tuesday saw Dr Besigye, Hajji Lutale, and Capt. Oola brought under heavy security as they were formally produced before the Criminal Division tto facesthe treason charges.
The trio is expected to be tried at the High Court session in Kampala, with proceedings scheduled to commence at 12:30 pm on December 30, 2025, or soon thereafter, according to a notice issued by the Deputy Registrar of the Criminal Division.
However, it remains unclear whether plea-taking will proceed immediately.
This is after on Monday, lawyers representing the accused objected to the indictment, arguing that it contained irregularities that rendered it defective.
The defence team, led by Erias Lukwago and Martha Karua, told court that the charge sheet had procedural flaws, including concerns over its authentication and accuracy, and warned that proceeding on such an indictment would amount to a miscarriage of justice.
The objection has placed the plea-taking process in limbo, with the court expected to first determine whether the amended indictment meets the legal threshold required for a criminal trial.
Dr Besigye and Hajji Lutale have been on remand at Luzira Prison for over a year following their arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in November last year, before being returned to Uganda to face trial.
