Besigye, Lutale Reject Court-Appointed Lawyers in Treason Trial

The treason trial for prominent opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale hit a significant snag this week as both individuals rejected lawyers appointed by the High Court to represent them at the state’s expense.

During a session at the Criminal Division of the High Court, appointed advocates Julius Sserwambala, Sarah Awero, and Sylvia Namawejje informed the judge that while UPDF Captain Denis Oola had conditionally accepted their services, Besigye and Lutale had firmly declined.

Captain Oola clarified that his acceptance was in addition to his privately retained legal team. Besigye argued that the appointed lawyers lacked the necessary experience for a case of this complexity. He urged the court to defer proceedings until a separate case challenging the legality of state-appointed counsel is decided.

The ruling in that related case is anticipated later this month. Besigye’s own lawyer, Eron Kiiza, had previously criticized the appointments, sending a letter to the appointed advocates urging them to refuse the brief. Kiiza asserted that the right to choose legal representation rests solely with the accused, not the state.

This dispute originated from a High Court directive for the Registrar of the Criminal Division to provide Besigye and Lutale with a list of advocates, following prosecution complaints about trial delays. If the accused declined to select from the list, the Registrar was empowered to appoint counsel.

Besigye contested this arrangement, stating he already had legal representation. The unresolved issue of legal counsel leaves one of Uganda’s most closely watched treason cases in a state of uncertainty, as Besigye, Lutale, and Captain Oola face charges of conspiring to overthrow the government, which they deny.

Source: Nile Post