Politics 16 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Treason Trial: Witness Admits Omitting Names from Police Statement
A key prosecution witness in a treason trial involving Dr. Kizza Besigye has admitted to omitting the names of two accused individuals from his initial police statement. The defense aims to use this omission to challenge the witness's credibility. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/treason-trial-witness-says-he-omitted-lutale-oola-from-statement-5596914
During the ongoing treason trial against opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, a crucial prosecution witness, identified as Mr. Wilson Andrew (also known as Orlando), made a significant admission in the High Court. He confessed that his initial statement to the police, recorded in March 2025, did not include the names of Mr. Obeid Lutale, Dr. Besigye’s political aide, and UPDF officer Captain Denis Oola. This admission came months after both individuals had been arrested.
The defense lawyers seized upon this detail during their cross-examination, attempting to undermine the witness’s testimony. The prosecution alleges that these omitted individuals, along with others, were involved in meetings held in Nairobi as part of a plot to forcibly overthrow the Ugandan government. The defense is using the witness’s failure to mention Lutale and Oola in his statement to question the reliability of his evidence against them.
This development is a critical moment in the trial, as the defense continues to scrutinize the witness’s account of alleged conspiratorial meetings. The prosecution’s case hinges significantly on the testimony of this witness, and any inconsistencies or omissions could weaken their argument. The court is expected to further explore the reasons behind the witness’s decision to exclude certain names from his initial report to the authorities.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)