Politics 17 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Govt Spent Shs59 Million on Transcribing Besigye Trial Recordings
The Ugandan government allocated over Shs59.32 million to transcribe audio and video recordings related to the treason case involving Dr. Kizza Besigye and co-accused. These recordings, made by a key prosecution witness, were transcribed by Makerere University's Centre for Languages and Communication Services. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-spent-shs59m-on-transcribing-besigye-trial-recordings-5599286
The Ugandan government has incurred a significant expense of over Shs59.32 million for the transcription of audio and video recordings pertinent to the treason trial of Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused. These recordings, presented as evidence, were allegedly made by the primary prosecution witness, an American national identified as Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando.
The transcriptions were handled by Makerere University’s Centre for Languages and Communication Services. The arrangement involved a rate of Shs70,000 per minute for the transcription of the audio and video content, which was submitted to the court on a flash disk by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
These recordings are central to the prosecution’s case, which targets Dr. Besigye, his aide Obeid Lutale, and UPDF Captain Denis Oola. Wilson reportedly made these recordings in various international locations, including Athens, Geneva, and Nairobi. The disclosure about the transcription costs emerged during the re-examination of Mr. Wilson in the High Court in Kampala.
The witness’s testimony and the nature of these recordings have been subjects of scrutiny during the trial, with the defense questioning the authenticity and context of the alleged conversations. The significant expenditure highlights the importance placed on this specific evidence by the prosecution in their ongoing efforts to build their case against the prominent opposition figure and his alleged accomplices.